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Reviews
The Dark Knight (2008)
Good but a few disappointments
Dark Knight was a good movie - it was dark and gritty, as billed, and I thought Christian Bale (as the flawed hero Batman) and Heath Ledger (as the psychotic criminal Joker) were great. The opening sequences of the bank heist and Batman in action were exciting and grim - they hooked me in. My disappointments were (1) Some clichés slipped in at about the halfway point - the old trick of "who do you choose to save?" was used twice in one form or another. (2) Movie also slid into the cliché of stating that being good (ie, Batman) means being handicapped against the bad guys, because bad guys have no rules. I would rather see the hero outmaneuver and out-think the bad guy - anticipating and frustrating various warped tactics the villain might use - not be flummoxed by the requirements of goodness. (3)Plot seemed to veer off and get overly complicated, to me, after the midway point. The emergence of the character of Two-Face, while interesting to Batman enthusiasts, distracted from the main storyline of The Joker, as I see it. >> All in all, I thought it was a good film, but not a great film.
Ghost Story: Graveyard Shift (1973)
Eerie episode
Possible spoiler - As far as I can tell, this series is currently unavailable on DVD, but I remember this episode vividly from childhood. The idea of something sinister happening among old film cannisters with horror movies in them is very gripping and it caught my imagination as a child. The episode featured a lot of shadowy locales and had a very eerie feel to it, which made the episode work well. Of course, Patty Duke and John Astin are favorites of mine as well, and they starred in this episode. Perhaps if Icould see this show again through adult eyes, I might not get the same spooky feeling as in the past, but if it ever comes out on DVD, I would love to see it.
Avatar (2009)
Visually fantastic but disappointing story
James Cameron's "Avatar" is visually stunning and had some interesting sci-fi ideas (for example, animals of different species joining consciousness). The affirmation of ecology and harmony with nature is always welcome in a film. However, I found myself quickly disappointed with the pure story of the movie - it seemed filled with stock characters, conventional action movie plot lines, and a very predictable arc to the overall story.
The real kicker for me was that the filmmakers chose to make the human-like race of Pandora an almost exact analogue to Native American tribes. I almost groaned when they did that. That was a very unimaginative decision in an otherwise very imaginative movie, and it strained credulity. All of these elements made the movie difficult for me to watch at times. But I must admit the conclusion was exciting and satisfactory.
To sum up, if the viewer likes visually stunning epics, then he or she will love "Avatar." If, on the other hand, the viewer likes more careful attention to story and character development, "Avatar" will be rather disappointing.
Star Trek (2009)
Not faithful to the original
I thought the idea for this movie had tremendous potential (ie, taking the series back to its origins) and the new actors did a nice job with the tall task of playing legendary characters. However, I thought the writers and producers sabotaged the original 'Trek' with this effort, carelessly jamming together elements from Star Trek lore while not hitting the right emotional chords. There were numerous factual inconsistencies with the original series - which might be explained away with the "new time line" idea in the movie, but the changes were radical enough to create the impression that the writers were just sloppy or didn't really care.
With regard to the depiction of Captain Kirk - it's fine to paint him as heroic and bigger than life, but his unlikely ascent to power in this movie strains credulity, even for sci-fi. The character of Kirk, while heroic and intrepid, should have been portrayed as a much more believable person and maybe shown to be a bit more mature and responsible - which would have been much more in line with the original series. All in all, this movie -- as a possible introduction to a new set of films -- is disappointing, but I will hope that subsequent films will be better, if writers and producers can discipline themselves just a bit!
Now, Voyager (1942)
Inspiring, intriguing
Bette Davis plays a homely, insecure woman in this film who struggles to overcome the influence of her domineering mother. Davis (as Charlotte Vale) begins her "voyage" of emancipation with the help of a wise psychiatrist and a stranger she meets on a cruise. But can she win the ultimate battle with her mother, who controls her financial destiny? It is inspiring to watch Charlotte's transformation into a confident, popular and attractive woman, but also intriguing to see how she handles unexpected conflicts and uncertainties along the way. The plot always kept me guessing and the ending was surprising. I will say that the last 30 minutes or so of the film seemed to stray a bit from the main storyline -- I might have written it differently -- but the conclusion is good. I recommend the film!
Pecker (1998)
Fun Film with a Point
The best thing about this movie is that it is fun. It is full of humorous characters and interesting situations, starting with the blithe, innocent Pecker (played appealingly by Edward Furlong) who likes to photograph almost everything he sees in every day life. Other great characters include Pecker's friend Matt ("he's a thief, but he's really a nice guy"), Pecker's sister Chrissy (who is addicted to sugar), and Pecker's Catholic grandmother who discovers life in a statuette of the Virgin Mary in her room.
The movie gently makes a point about how every day life has many riches to offer, and it succeeds in making this point without being too heavy-handed about it. There is always a risk, when making messages about the value and dignity of "common people", of sliding into a kind of reverse "holier than thou" - but "Pecker" avoids these traps, allowing the audience to get the point while allowing enough breathing room for viewers to compare this message to their own thoughts on the subject.
I recommend the movie mostly because it is a lot of fun.
Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964)
First 2/3 of film very good
This film was a childhood favorite and I find that, in many ways, it still holds up when viewed as an adult in the 21st century. The first part of the movie is the best, when astronauts on the first mission to Mars encounter an meteor while in orbit. This sets off a chain of events leading to loss of communication with Earth and the crew's eventual fight for survival on the red planet below.
The unique quality of the film is the moody, forlorn atmosphere - the viewer can feel that "far away" sensation watching the twilight of the Martian horizon, and sense it in the psyche of Commander Kit Draper as he struggles to survive and avoid despair on this remote world. There are several good scenes and the uncertainty builds as to whether Commander Kit will make it.
In the last 1/3 of the film, the plot seems to veer off and it loses (for me) a lot of the earlier appeal of the film. Still, I would recommend the movie, especially for nostalgia buffs, but also for younger sci-fi fans who might enjoy something a little different. The unique appeal of "Robinson Crusoe on Mars" is the moody quality of the film, the lonely struggle for survival, and the haunting music. Try it for a change of pace!
The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
Had potential but failed significantly
Viewers who have not seen the original movie might like this new film (not knowing the difference) but fans of the original will be quite disappointed with this re-make. The modernization and effects are good in the re-make and it explored similar themes that made the original film interesting, but ultimately the re-make failed on two key points: the storyline with Gort was completely changed in the re-make, and the climax of the film (the "Earth standing still" part) was given cursory treatment in the new film, like an afterthought at the end of the movie. This was a huge mistake for the re-make -- botching the climax and central event of the entire film.
There were some genuinely touching scenes near the end of the new movie (featuring mother, child, and Klaatu) and I was ready to give the new movie the benefit of the doubt if it had kept intact the climax from the original (and the sober warning that went with it) as well as the Gort storyline. Instead, the film ended abruptly with these last two elements distinctly missing - hence, my disappointment and the 4/10 star rating.
Eulogy (2004)
Good one-liners but uneven
I agree that this film has a cult following for the usual reasons -- and it definitely has some good one-liners. For some movie-goers (like me, for example) it will be problematic, however, because of the overload of characters and story lines, uneven pacing, and outlandish aspects.
Ray Romano and Debra Winger headline a nice cast in a story about the funeral of the family patriarch, which forces a gathering of an odd mix of characters with a checkered history. Funerals (and weddings) have potential for comedy with this "forced gathering" aspect. However, the movie quickly becomes chaotic -- a slam-bang affair with weaving consistency. It's worth seeing for the one-liners and gags, but don't expect a finely tuned and focused product.
The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy (2000)
Good nostalgia
I enjoyed "Broken Hearts Club" primarily because it was good nostalgia about coming out as gay, making friends, etc. Its feel-good elements are reminiscent of "Queer as Folk" and "Love, Valour, Compassion" (though less heavy than the latter.) The lead character of Dennis, played by Timothy Olyphant and the character Kevin (played by Andrew Keegan) were the most interesting, as they seemed the easiest to relate to. Other characters (and the relationship challenges they deal with) were interesting as well. Some of the humor and content are a bit cliché and the film is occasionally melodramatic. Overall, however, it is a feel good movie and I would recommend it to gay audiences.