| Issue #30, October 20, 2006 |
Dave Evans’ MINI – MOVIE REVIEWS
Flags of Our Fathers
An ensemble period film based on the Allied (and largely American) victory at Iwo Jima in February, 1945. Clint Eastwood takes the helm with Steven Spielberg and Mystic River’s Rob Lorenz lurking in the wings as producers. This has “Nominate-Me!” scrawled all over it, but the whole affair feels overly worthy and heavy-handed in the most lifeless of ways.
The Prestige
Christopher Nolan (of Memento fame) returns to form with this stunning, dark and brooding tale of competition and obsession in 19th century London. Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale are phenomenal as the dueling magicians at the center of the plot, and even celluloid-poison David Bowie can’t sink this. A gorgeous triumph.
Flicka
It’s all ranching and family-honor in this girl-meets-horse-from-the-wrong-side-of-the-tracks nonsense. Country singer Tim McGraw stars as the father of said girl (Alison Lohman) who must learn to accept that she is an adult now and worthy of taking over the family land and business. At least it’s not CGI.
Marie Antoinette
This has taken a critical hammering at various festivals but perhaps people are judging on the wrong criteria. True, Sofia Coppola’s follow-up to Lost in Translation is not a detailed biography of the famous queen, but does it need to be? Here Coppola builds on the gorgeous bubblegum pop aesthetic she achieved with The Virgin Suicides and Dunst is sparkling as the lead.
The Grudge 2
Sarah Michelle Gellar returns in the sequel to one of 2004’s most successful American adaptations of classic Japanese horror. The plot still revolves around the inexplicable and contagious fit of rage and luckily the shocks are still as sharp. This time the focus is on Gellar’s character’s sister, played perfectly adequately by Sister of the Traveling Pants star Amber Tamblyn.
Man of the Year
Barry Levinson, director of the excellent Wag the Dog, is back on familiar ground with this tale of a talk show host (Robin Williams) who jokingly runs for president and wins. Sharp, funny and with an excellent cast (including Laura Linney, Christopher Walken and the ever-superb Jeff Goldblum) this is well worth a look.
The Marine
Never let it be said that you walked into this unwarned. The film’s star is John Cena of WWE (formerly WWF) fame and the director, John Bonito, comes with the same, ahem, pedigree. The plot concerns a returning marine who finds his wife involved in a kidnapping – not that it really matters. Big muscles, big bangs, little thought.
The Departed
Martin Scorsese’s on familiar territory here with this epic tale of the battle between the police and the Irish mafia in Boston. It’s all very Boys Own Adventure with a strong line in honor and justice, mouthed out by a cast boasting Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, Martin Sheen and Matt Damon to name but a few. Not for everyone but very polished for what it is.
Open Season
Oh my god, make it stop! The summer’s orgy of sub-par CGI children’s films shows no sign of stopping for fall with this dreadful tripe about a bear and a deer trying to escape the hunter’s bullets. Like the awful Barnyard before it, this really feels like not an ounce of thought has gone into it. Vocal stylings come from bargain bin actors Ashton Kutcher and Debra Messing among others.
School for Scoundrels
Director Todd Phillips, of Starsky and Hutch, Old School fame, may not have the most inspirational track record but this adaptation of the 1960 British comedy is deeply funny. The plot concerns a young man’s (Napoleon Dynamite’s excellent lead, Jon Heder) attempts to become a better man. With actors such as David Cross and Sarah Silverman in supporting roles, this is too enjoyable to miss.
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