Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Oh where to begin? Vicky Cristina Barcelona is Woody Allen's latest addition to his legendary vault of flicks with hot chicks. Over the last few years he has been quite taken by Scarlett Johansson, who plays the part of Cristina, the whimsical and sexual hippie American tourist. Rebecca Hall is her polar opposite best friend, and you guessed it, the movie takes place in Barcelona!



This is basically a PG foray into the sexual experimentation of young American women that go to Spain for the summer. Woody grabs the cliche that the beautiful woman will go to Europe and find the dashing, romantic, bohemian artist to show them what love and sex are all about. Fair enough, but I have heard this before, I think in Beverly Hills 90210. Didn't Brenda do that? Anyway...

It's a pretty good movie but I would be lying if I didn't say that I was let down. I was expecting an amazing romantic dramedy lead by two of Hollywood's most beautiful actresses.















So hear is how I see it. Rumor has it that Scarlett has been complaining about her beauty. She is "tired of being seen as a sex symbol." News flash...If you did not have your looks, you would be just another pretty face on the street. I am so unimpressed by her work.

Penelope, on the other hand, is the complete package. She is not only beautiful but her skills are crazy good. She stole the show and received an Oscar nom for it. Without her turn this film would be a failure. Thankfully I new she was coming or I may have turned it off.

The film does take a turn for the good when she comes into play and it stays pretty strong. She makes it worth your while.

Javier Bardem also does a commendable job as the leading man, Juan Antonio. If nothing else, he is much better to look at then when he played Anton Chigurh.















The Blu-Ray format is not to be missed. There are some fabulous shots of Barcelona and it makes you feel as if you are on the set. The audio is completely dialogue driven so you won't get any action from your sub or surrounds.

This is a 3 star movie, but could have easily been so much more. Give it a look...

The Duchess

The Duchess is a story about Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. Played admirably enough by Keira Knightley, I would probably have been more impressed had I not seen this from her before. In fact, it's tough to think of a recent time when she wasn't in a period piece or playing a pirate. She is quite talented but she needs to branch out a bit. This is her comfort zone and it is painfully obvious.




Ralph Fiennes was amazing at the Duke of Devonshire. He was dark, complex, cold, frightening, and even warm at times. Although he earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor I think he wasn't given his proper due for this role.

The movie plays out nicely, although it is entirely predictable from the beginning. There are no surprising turns, just good performances with a good story. Based on a true story, it's hard to surprise anyone here and one must just sit back and enjoy the film and take in the history of England.

This may seem like a weak and "meatless" review but it is what it is. It's a nice, well rounded film that you will enjoy however likely forget in a few weeks. You will most likely balk when asked if you had seen it a few years from now.

A good 3 star movie that could be enjoyed by many. If you are stuck for an idea one evening this is a good choice.

Ghost Town

This is a difficult review to write. I heard a plethora of positive reviews about this movie. Scoring a whopping 83% on the Tomatometer is no easy task. Take a look.






Ghost Town is a comedy staring the hilarious Ricky Gervais that gets a lot right, but gets a lot wrong. I think it tries to do too much. It attempts to pull at your heart strings, make you think, and make you laugh.

I am generally appreciative of all of these qualities but the movie is a bit confused. Which is it? Which is the main draw? I am still unsure.

There were a few parts that I actually "belly laughed". Ricky Gervais is very, very funny. And to top it off, I am one of those guys who thinks that even the most average of comedic lines sound hilarious with a British accent. I am a sucker for the Queen's English.

Tea Leoni plays the confused, love lost soul opposite Gervais and never really grabs the role. I am not a Tea Leoni fan, but for this part I think she was given very little meat to work with. It wasn't her fault, it was just a really weak part that lends no believability.

In fact, none of the characters have much to work with. Greg Kinnear grabbed a supporting role and he has been quite good in other roles. He may have been the best of the bunch in this but it was lackluster for him.

Once again I could be in the minority. For those of you that are suckers for the heart tug, nothing wrong with that, you may buy into this and really like it. For me, it was a bit below average. Not enough true laughs, and not enough heart tugs to romanticize the work.

2 stars, but it should probably be given a chance by most. You may totally disagree with me and I couldn't fault you for it.

Buffalo '66

Circa 1998, Buffalo '66 is a seriously interesting and entertaining flick. Billy Brown, played by the psycho Vincent Gallo, is released from prison and he needs to go home and get on with his sorry excuse for a life. Let the entertainment begin...

Oh wait, there isn't a trailer in site for this movie! Probably because Vincent Gallo is a nut job self indulgent maniac that nobody can stand. But I digress.

Okay, seriously, this is a pretty good movie. Written and directed by Gallo, the movie takes place in Buffalo on the day he is released from jail. Gallo claims this is based on events from his life but I seriously doubt the integrity of that claim. Upon his release he needs to go home and face his parents, and then take care of some unfinished business.

To accomplish this, he needs to enlist the help of an 18 year old Christina Ricci, pre-purged. Perhaps that was mean so let me just say that I totally dig Christina. Both then and now, I find her to be amazingly talented and attractive. I wish she worked more but she is also know as somewhat "different" or enigmatic. Andy Konikowski was different, and I dug him, so I can empathize.

So, on to my point about Christina. This video is from Buffalo 66:




And now...















I can't tell the difference. Again, love you both ways Christina. Whatever works for you I am cool with. Just please do more movies.

I have rambled entirely too much so let me wrap this up. This is a good movie. Very well done and obviously on a limited budget. Vincent Gallo does an amazing job and sells his part fabulously. Ricci is probably as good as she has ever been here. They are both totally believable. It's heavy on the dialogue and there were parts that dragged but it does a good job of keeping you engaged.

Mickey Rourke, Anjelica Houston, Ben Gazzara, and Rosanna Arquette all get their turns and each add something strong to the picture.

It's a film with a cult following and one of those "get it or you don't" type films. I got it and I liked it.

4 stars.

Oh, and for the record Vincent...Christina Ricci was not great because of you, she was great because she is great. The Brown Bunny is trash and it was your fault. You can do wrong. Whew...I feel better. I "spanned time" with this one. :-)

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Hellboy II is an interesting evolution in the franchise. The first installment was special because it had true darkness, humor, and a good feeling of human emotion tied with super hero strength. It drew me in and intrigued me. This one takes it to new levels. Take a look.

Guillermo del Toro is a genius, in my humble opinion. He has put out some true masterpieces. Pan's Labyrinth comes to mind. Pick that one up if you want to be wowed. It doesn't get much better.

Back to the lecture at hand. This one isn't fabulous. It gives into the big Hollywood schmaltz. It feels like it drifts along not knowing what it truly wants to be. A comedy? A super hero flick? A dark look into the underbelly? I really don't know and it troubles me.

Ron Perlman carried the first movie but his talent goes under utilized here. He lost his charm and comedic value. Selma Blair, as Liz Sherman, became too mainstream as well. I don't think tilting towards romance was the right way to go. It lost it's machismo.

Beyond that, this movie is a true visual feast. The Blu-Ray copy is out of this world. Nearly flawless with scenes to die for. The DTS-HD Master Audio is top notch as well. Folks, I tell you time and again that you need to adopt this format. You won't be dissapointed.

If you feel intimidated shoot me a question. I will gladly help you weed through the confusion and put you on the fast track to satisfaction.

As for the movie, it's worth a watch, especially if you liked the first one. It's a 3 star flick, and it's setup for a third installment. Go grab a copy and pop the corn.

A Beautiful Mind

In 2001, A Beautiful Mind won four Academy Awards including Best Picture. I don't know if I have ever been more sure of an award. This was a fabulous picture.




Simply put, it's a movie about an absolutely brilliant mathematician named John Nash. It starts during his college years at Princeton University and carries on through a dramatic and frightening turn.

That is probably as basic of a synopsis as I could give and it was purposeful. The movie is likely to mean something different to each individual that takes the time to view it.

As many awards as it received it also has its bashers. It has been panned because it embellishes on his life and struggles. Ron Howard took some liberties to "hollywoodize" the movie. That's okay with me since it worked completely. Embellished or not, it earned him Best Director.

The movie made me feel sad at the circumstance, amazed at his intellectual abilities, enthralled at Jennifer Connelly's performance (Best Supporting Actress) and convinced that Russell Crowe is one of the finest actors of our time. Nominated for Best Actor, he lost that award to Denzel Washington in Training Day. That's a tough call.

Let me reiterate. Jennifer Connelly was amazing! I never knew she had this in her. Where has she been since this movie and when will she get roles like this again?

Most of all, this movie left me feeling ashamed. Ashamed for two reasons actually. First, I learned that he is from Bluefield, West Virginia. That town had a major impact on me, but that's for another day.

Second, John Nash won the Nobel Prize in 1994 and was a fixture on campus while I was working at the University in 1995 and 1996. I am completely embarrased that I had no idea. But since I was an Assistant Baseball Coach, I didn't hang around the Math department too often. That would have been offensive for the students. :-)

This is an absolute must see. I have a feeling that many of my Y chromosome brethren have ignored this movie. Do not ignore it any longer! Pick up a copy and I promise you will love it.

A full 5 star rating. It gets no better.

Apocalypse Now Redux

It seems a bit odd to review a movie that is about 30 years old. But what the heck, why not? Apocalypse Now is a ground breaker.

It deserves another look from time to time, and the Redux version deserves a viewing as well. It seems daunting at a running time of 3 hours and 15 minutes but it moves quickly.





A star studded cast directed by Francis Ford Coppola broke down all kinds of barriers and changed the way war movies were made. However, this isn't really a war movie. It's a story about a Captain, played by Martin Sheen, who is sent on a dangerous mission into Cambodia to kill a renegade officer during the Vietnam War.

Did I mention how much Martin Sheen looked like Charlie Sheen? My goodness it was scary to watch. It was as if I was watching Charlie in Platoon.

The renegade officer is played by Marlon Brando but the amazing cast does not stop there. Laurence Fishburne, Harrison Ford, Dennis Hopper, and Scott Glenn all take their turns wowing the viewer.

As I mentioned this is a great film and it has the awards to prove it. The problem you are likely to have is that if you are watching this for the first time you will feel as if you have already seen it. And you have. It's the most copied war movie of all time.

My only problem with the film is the final 30 minutes. You will go through about 2 hours and 45 minutes of fabulous work. But the ending is something out of a hallucination. It just does not make sense to me and quite simply, does not work at all.

I don't want to dive into it and spoil it but I would love to hear some thoughts.

This is a must see for any war movie buff.

4 stars. I just couldn't go for a 5 with that ending.

Righteous Kill

Al Pacino and Robert De Niro always sounds like a recipe for success. Righteous Kill is a movie about two NYC detectives that are working to tie a serial killer case to a crime they solved years ago. Or is it?






If you saw Inside Man you will see Russell Gewirtz's finger prints all over this one. But Inside Man was tight, this was loosey goosey and all over the place.

The plot felt so manufactured, and so damn predictable that you could read it from a mile away. There are a few twists and turns but nothing to grab you. And that is the problem here. It felt like it was another movie to grab two legends and put them together. The funny thing is that it almost works. These two could make me watch anything from start to finish. It kept me there, but never pulled me in.

The cast is pretty strong. Brian Dennehy, Carla Gugino, and John Leguizamo all do what they can with the material and do it rather well. There is just so much reaching, nothing ever tied together. 50 Cent is thrown in there to add some street cred, I guess...

The bottom line is if you like cop movies you will probably get by with this film. It will certainly not go down as one of Pacino or De Niro's shining moments, but it is a decent choice to fill some time. I guess I am being kind, but I find it so hard to think either one can suck. 3 stars from this guy, an average flick.

Oh, and De Niro has a really bad softball swing. Neither one of those cats should do anything physical on screen anymore. And that includes running. It just doesn't sell. Stick to the dialogue.

Peace.

Transformers

I totally missed it. I am a big fan of action/sci-fi/fantasy flicks. A big budget flick that pulls it off is even more rewarding because you get those big budget effects. Large booms from your sub, awesome and flawless 1080p Blu-Ray, etc. makes it so enjoyable.






Transformers got it right! I ignored this movie for so long and I paid the price. Now, I have not been a fan of Michael Bay. Most of his movies have been stinkers. Armageddon and Pearl Harbor come to mind as bogus attempts at entertainment. The Island was decent, but would anyone have liked it without Scarlett Johansson running around in tight outfits as Jordan Two Delta? That's a valid question...

I am not one to rehash plot lines. You can do that elsewhere and/or watch the trailer that I embedded for you. What I will do is tell you that this is plain old good fun. You have an ancient battle between robots/transformers that re-erupts on earth. And the aloof Shia LaBeouf doing a fabulous job in selling his starring role. Throw in David Silver's fiance, Foxy Megan, and you have a winning cast.





















































Self serving? Perhaps. But I couldn't help myself. Point made.

Anyway, tons of good action. It is certainly ridiculous, it IS robots for crying out loud. But it knows it's ridiculous. It eats it up. It has its corny moments, its schmaltz, and all that "good" stuff. Grab a copy and enjoy the 140 minutes of fun. And grab that Blu-Ray copy and you have a serious demo disc for your home theater. It's nearly flawless.

4 stars all around. Hopefully this is a turning point for Michael Bay.

Towelhead

Towelhead is a seriously polarizing movie. It is extremely controversial and tackles numerous issues that are likely to make you squirm in your seat. Bigotry, teenage sexuality, physical and mental child abuse, and sexual abuse are all some of the issues broached in 110 minutes by Alan Ball.











The story surrounds a young adolescent named Jasira, who is dealing with the challenges of becoming a woman while living with her overbearing Lebanese father in Texas during the first Gulf War.





If you watched the trailer you get the direction this movie is going. Strong performances abound in this flick with Summer Bishil doing a fabulous job as Jasira. Aaron Eckhart gives a strong and believable performance playing a complete dirt ball, and Toni Collette saved the movie for me.





















I do have two casting complaints. Peter Macdissi seemed a bit too methodical, or perhaps he was in over his head, I couldn't decide which. Either way, I didn't buy into his character. Maria Bello, and her character, were completely under utilized. More appearances by her, and stronger development of her character and the relationship with Jasira would have went a long way.





















Again, this is a very powerful and controversial film. It is also quite good, but as stated, will be very polarizing and reviewed differently by each who see it. The majority of the film is extremely uncomfortable, scene after scene. There are very few moments that go by that do not make you squirm. Too much so for my taste.

The final third of the film actually pulled it out of the uncomfortable abyss. Toni Collette's character appeared for good and pulled the movie into the mainstream. Well done, Ms. Collette.

Those that can handle the abundant controversial material will really like this film. Those with a weak stomach may not be able to handle it.

A 480p presentation and dialogue driven Dolby Digital 5.1 is nothing to brag about. A good soundtrack appears in the third act.

4 stars and a must see in my humble opinion.