swusterb Reviews

X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019)

Enjoyable Character Story

[8/10 · 14 June 2019]

I really enjoyed this film. I saw it in 3D, which I believe adds a bit to the experience.

I didn't find the film to be mediocre at all. In fact, I felt the character acting was done quite well all around the cast. I remember seeing X3 The Last Stand in theaters and feeling a bit let down after the fantastic X2. I did not have that same feeling with this movie. While I won't say I was riveted, I did find myself smiling quite often throughout the film.

Sophie Turner is pitch perfect as Jean Grey/Dark Phoenix. She characterizes the two sides of the character extremely well. It was good to see Charles Xavier more humanized and not the perfect being he is generally presented as. James Macavoy did a great job of infusing the character with hubris. As others have noted, there is a real sense of teamwork among the cast, in both the action sequences and the slower dramatic parts. I was very impressed with the scenes when Jean went for help to Magneto, and his subsequent actions thereafter. (I don't want to give too much of a spoiler).

One of the most impressive elements of the film, however, is that it takes its audience as intelligent. The mysterious cosmic power and its associative attendants aren't fully explained, but they don't need to be. We see and hear enough to understand the threat. The film maintains its focus on the X-Men and their teamwork dynamic, which to me is the best thing about this movie.

I don't expect to go to every superhero sequel where the villain is bigger and more powerful or the action scenes try to outdo the grandeur of the previous installment. That will get old and blasé fast. What impressed me about this film was that each action sequence was character-driven. While being a spectacle, it wasn't merely serving as a spectacle, but rather a springboard forward in the development of the characters.

This is probably why the film has a low rating. It takes a bit of thinking from the audience to invite us in and help it work. That's why I gave it the score of 8. I like when a film takes me seriously and doesn't just want to exposition the heck out of everything. Many people prefer to be spoon fed, though, which is a shame because they will miss out on some quite good nuanced performances.

If superhero movies are to have a bright future and not peter out over the next few years, this is a direction they need to explore. Eventually we will get tired of spoon fed exposition and giant action sequences.

Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009)

Better than expected

[9/10 · 10 April 2009]

I know a lot of people are going to knock this movie, but I must say that I found it quite well done. If we accept the G rating and understand that this is a family friendly film, then look at the underlying issues developed through Miley's character, then we can see that this is one successful movie. First, yes this is geared towards kids; that's the fan base established by the show. But there are things thrown in to appeal to the adults who are accompanying their kids to the film. I took my nine year old daughter to this film (she barely slept last night she was so excited). I didn't have a lot of expectations for the film, just to entertain my daughter, but I found myself enjoying it with her. Without giving away too much of a spoiler, there is a touching scene between Miley and her father and my daughter and I shared a life moment when we whispered to each other during it. Being in a situation where I am raising three kids effectively alone, I identified with Billy Ray's character (especially now that I am considering dating). The slapstick comedy was fun, and I thought both the evil paparazzi character and the evil town developer character were underplayed enough to keep the focus on Miley's dilemma of choosing what she will do about her Hannah persona. This central dilemma, I felt, was very well done. Some reviewers seem to think that the film is either/or based. It is not. It is focused on how can we maintain a public persona while developing privately. I found that quite poignant, particularly after the hubbub over Miley's Anne Leibowitz photo (was that for Vanity Fair?). Can Miley find a way to grow up while maintaining her public persona? The fact that this fairly complex idea can be developed in a rated G movie whose built-in fan base is young girls and their parents is a good reflection on all those connected to it, and I believe they pull it off quite well. Even the old and stale be-in-two-places-at-once is pulled off effectively within this motif. I think Disney has turned out one of their best offerings ever.

Bristol Boys (2006)

Interesting, to a point

[6/10 · 24 October 2008]

I bought this movie simply because it was filmed in Bristol, Ct., where I grew up (parents still live there). It's not a bad film overall. It has a bit of an independent film feel to it, but, really, that's to be expected. I think of the film now as a story about a much smaller scale Scarface.

I read on here that some people were shocked that Bristol could be the home of such a drug scene and things like that could be going on. They shouldn't be. I now live in small town in West Texas, and there just as bad a drug scene here as anywhere. This movie goes towards showing the overall American drug culture that exists nearly everywhere.

The only thing that bothered me about the film was its lack of an apology for what was done in selling dope. The filmmaker acknowledges his involvement with the main character, and there are interviews with some of the real-life people who inspired the characters of the life. There is a total lack of any sense that what they were doing was wrong. The interviews with the behind the scenes people, and the film itself, seem to wear their involvement with the drug culture as badge of pride. Rather than any remorse or repentance for what they did or were once a part of, they seem proud to have been a part of that scene. To me, this goes to the heart of the problem in America.

There seems to be a lack of understanding that selling drugs is wrong. Most people seem to take the stand that if people want it, you should sell it to them. I've known girls who date drug dealers simply because the dealers have money to spend on them. Until this attitude changes, there will continue to be a drug problem in this country.

I don't necessarily think the police were presented unfairly in the film, as has been mentioned elsewhere, particularly if you look at through the lens of someone in the drug culture. The police are presented in a way that one of the sellers, with an us versus them mentality, would see it.

The film is worth a look if you live in Bristol or haven't seen too many drug culture movies. It may open your eyes, or simply acknowledge something you're already aware of. Just don't take any pride in having been there.

Moonlight (2007–2008)

Better Than Expected

[8/10 · 28 September 2007]

Okay, I've seen the promos pretty much all summer long. Our family is a Big Brother family and they touted this series continually. Honestly, I really figured I'd give it a miss. However, tonight I watched "Ghost Whisperer" with my wife, then she left the room and I was about to change the channel when two of my kids asked me not to change it because they wanted to watch it. Being a concerned parent, I stayed and watched.

Some of the plot points were easy to pick out, but I can say that about 85% of shows on television. What did keep me interested, however, was the lead character. He had a lot more depth than was portrayed in the promos. There were some neat complexities to him that I found intriguing. I also liked how they presented the reporter girl and the relationship established with the vampire. In fact, while plot was a bit been there, done that (again 85% of television), this show works well in the characterization.

I also felt things worked well in the last quarter of the show. The effects shots of the vampire's abilities were done well. I was comfortable throughout with my kids watching, which I'm happy about because I hope to turn them on to H.P. Lovecraft within the next few years. MY twelve year old son and I both agreed that this is a show we will definitely make the attempt to watch (however, we live in West Texas, I teach school, and the show is on Fridays...gotta warm up the VCR and buy some new tapes).

In summary: the show caught me off guard in a pleasant way. I take it for granted that you cannot do a vampire show without touching on ground already walked on, but the characterization in this show will keep me watching.

Lady in the Water (2006)

Entrancing Film, Very Well-Acted

[9/10 · 22 July 2006]

I was entranced by this film. It is very stylishly directed and very well-acted. Each actor was chosen perfectly and did their full duty.

The direction is very up close, giving the film a nearly claustrophobic feeling, which I believe helps to give the film the credibility it needs for the story to unfold. We accept the motivations and actions of the characters because we feel so close to them. We feel their individuality and are in tune with them.

Paul Giamatti is perfectly chosen for this film. He carries the film extremely well, keeping it moving forward by his simple acceptance of the strange events unfolding. I can't imagine any other actor carrying the film as well.

Bryce Dallas Howard is wonderful as the nymph. She makes it clear that the character is just about just as confused as the others in the apartment complex.

There are humorous events perfectly placed in the film to give a bit of lightness that adds to the momentum of events, but the real winner is the creature causing all the ruckus. The effects of making it as real as possible were very well done.

The supporting characters are a perfect ensemble, adding to the realism of the film. In fact, that's what makes the film work so well: it is a fantasy taking place in the realm of reality so that it becomes believable. Through it, we are able to discern messages or themes of hope, desperation, love, hate, happiness, melancholy, etc. There are many possible interpretations. I'd say it depends on what you're going through. The movie speaks to many moods.

I understand that M. Night Shyamalan went through a lot to get this film made. I believe it was worth every effort he put into it.

Drake & Josh (2004–2007)

Good Kid Entertainment

[8/10 · 7 July 2006]

When I first saw this advertised, I rolled my eyes. Another typical no-brain sitcom, I thought. My kids were at the right age for the beginning of the show, and I was roped into watching the premiere episode, as well as many of the subsequent ones. I was rather impressed, overall. Sure, the plots are kind of typical and some of the dialogue is patterned, but the characterization (especially Josh) is wonderful. It's not so much where the story goes, but how Drake and Josh respond to it that makes the show fun. It's also the kind of entertainment that I feel comfortable letting my children watch, which is a huge statement in today's entertainment world. It's not meant to break new ground or set new standards. It's simply an entertaining show, mostly with a decent message, and with characters who are fun to watch.

The Da Vinci Code (2006)

Drop Expectations and See a Great Adaptation

[9/10 · 20 May 2006]

I'm seeing a lot of lukewarm responses to this film, but I think the reason why is all the speculation that went along with people as they went to see it. In my opinion, that's what kills most good films: people have presupposed expectations of a film and when the film goes in a different direction, then they just write it off as stupid or pointless because it doesn't match what they were thinking. I feel this film is suffering from this syndrome.

First of all, let's consider the director: Ron Howard. The films he has made in the past have been geared towards pleasing a large audience. This is what he brings to this film. He took the heart of the novel and preserved it in the film. Therefore, allow me to take issue with some of the comments made about the film being too wordy. The book itself is very wordy. It's a concept novel that contains a bunch of what-if situations strung together into a mystery/thriller, and requiring a whole lot of explanation. The film is a perfect reflection of what the book was all about. To spice up the large amount of exposition, Howard puts in filler footage so we can more easily imagine what is being described. Works great for me, because the only expectation I had going into the film was that I would be able to see what the boom only described.

Second, let's consider the actors: Tom Hanks. I love him; I'll admit that right now. I remember seeing "Splash" and "Bosom Buddies" as a boy, and I've grown up watching his films. My comment to my wife as we left the theater was that I felt he really did a good job of portraying the character of Robert Langdon as there weren't a lot of the idiosyncrasies (such as facial expressions, voice, etc) that are trademark Hanks (only one that I recall from the entire film). Taotou was perfect as Sophie, the young person coming to terms to what her grandfather was all about. And my wife and I agreed that Jean Reno played the perfect Fache; we cannot imagine anyone who could do a better job with that part. Ian McKellan may not have met the book's physical description of Tiebing, but he was excellent in the film using a wide range of emotions (I loved his display when Hanks and Taotou arrive at his place).

Thirdly, we have to keep in mind that there has been a lot of hype over the premise of this movie. However, I think it's important to point out that none of that hype was touted by the filmmakers. Both Hanks and Howard simply stated that they wanted to make an entertaining film, and that's just what they did. The fact that so many people protested and made a big hullabaloo (great word, eh?)needs to be forgotten before entering the theater.

One things to keep in mind is the source material for this film: it came from a book. Being an English teacher, films based on books are a kind of specialty with me. I have seen many failures, some near-misses, and a few stellar entries. This film is one of those that sticks closest to its source material. It keeps almost perfect pace with what the book developed; the buildup and relaxing of tension/suspense is mirrored exactly. The expository sections that have to be there are there, and yet enhanced by the filmmakers to make them less dry. This is one of the best book to film adaptations I have ever seen.

I, for one, loved the film (my wife, for another, loved it also), and I am hoping it is really successful because I would love to see "Angels and Demons" on the big screen sometime in the near future.

The Shaggy Dog (2006)

My kids and I had fun

[8/10 · 8 April 2006]

I'm rating this high because while it's not Shakespearean theater or some other serious film, this film succeeds at what it purports to do: give an average family some light, springtime entertainment. As an adult who has seen these type of films before, yes, I pretty much knew where Tim Allen's character was headed from the beginning. However, that did not detract from the fun of seeing him go there. Robert Downey was a delight as the bad guy, and I felt the kids in the film were developed rather well for a Disney film. Kristen Davis also brought a rather commanding depth to the mom role. As we watch the film, we do get to care about the main characters, and we laugh as the silly things happen. Personally, I don't always need a brand-new, serious film in order to have a meaningful theater experience. Just going and laughing along with my six and eleven year old kids made the film fun. The actors carried it well, and it was what I like to expect from a Disney family film.

The Cat in the Hat (2003)

Works better on the small screen

[8/10 · 24 December 2004]

When I saw this one in the theaters, I was a bit let down. It just didn't seem to live up to the greatness of "How The Grinch Stole Christmas." Because my daughter, who was four at the time, absolutely loved it, we have since acquired it on DVD, and it has grown on me. It's actually a fairly decent film. The Cat seems to be a hairy version of the best bits of Myers's Dr. Evil character. That's really the only downside, in my opinion. I would have liked fresher material from him. The kids in the film are perfect, Alec Baldwin is darn good, and Kelly Preston is cast very well. The Things are probably the best part of the film.