The movie of the week is Donnie Darko, written and directed by newcomer Richard Kelly. This film is about Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal- Moonlight Mile), a disturbed adolescent from a semi-functional upper-middle class family. One night, he awakens to a strange voice. Searching for the one speaking, he goes into his yard, escaping death from a freak accident. He discovers that the voice belongs to a 6 foot tall bunny named Frank (James Duval- Gone in Sixty Seconds). Donnie is led by the bunny to do destructive things, much to the dismay of his parents (Mary McDonnell-Crazy Like A Fox and Holmes Osborne-Bring it On). While everyone believes Donnie is losing his mind, he is really on the verge of discovering something that will affect the lives of everyone around him, especially his girl friend Gretchen Ross (Jena Malone-Life as a House).

A big "wow" goes out to Kelly for bringing us this bizarre, semi-disturbing, highly entertaining film. It is the kind of movie that keeps one riveted, unwilling to miss a moment lest something is missed. It raises questions throughout, for an astonishing finale that brings everything together. "I see!", you exclaim as the credits begin to role. Gyllenhall is phenomonal, making us forgive him for doing the 'comedy' Bubble Boy. McDonnell and Osborne bring to life the understandably worried Darkos, while Duval is deliciously creepy in his bunny suit and eerie voice. One unfortunate thing about this film is that Gyllenhaal overshadows Malone in every scene, and this young woman is a definate rising star with 21 films under her belt at the tender age of 18. I will not try to describe it any more, as I will not do it justice. I highly recommend seeing this film.


Gyllenhall, Malone, and Duval as Frank

Rating: 4.5 (out of 5)




posted by Lisa at 7:35 p.m. |

 
Well, the movie of the weekend is Die Another Day, the latest in the James Bond francise. This one is directed by Lee Tamahori, and marks this as Pierce Brosnan's fifth time as the over sexed super spy. The Bond girls in this film are played by Halle Berry (Monster's Ball), and Rosamund Pike in her big screen debut. It also stars Toby Stephens (Possession), Rick Yune (The Fast and the Furious), and Judi Dench (The Importance of Being Ernest) returns to play "Q". The story begins in the demilitarised zone between North and South Korea with a spectacular high-speed hovercraft chase and continues via Hong Kong to Cuba and London where Bond meets up with the two ladies who are to play such important and differing roles in his quest to unmask a traitor and to prevent a war of catastrophic consequence. Hot on the trail of the principle villains, Bond travels to Iceland where he experiences at first hand the power of an amazing new weapon before a dramatic confrontation with his main adversary back in Korea where it all started...

What can I say? Die Another Day was much better than I had anticipated. As in, I didn't walk out of the theater. No, seriously folks, this film doesn't turn into classic cheesy Bond until about the last 20 minutes, and I actually enjoyed it. It still had the totally unrealistic action sequences that define all the laws of physics, and of course, Bond got to sleep with the two new women in his life, while making witty remarks about how his relationships never last. Brosnan is again well cast in this latest installment of the world of 007, while I was a little disappointed with Barry's performance. I didn't find her well suited to the role of action heroine. Pike, on the other hand, was definately a treat, and I am sure we will see more of her in the future, bringing a seriousness to her role not often seen in a Bond film. Stephens and Yune team up to make deliciously bad villians, and of course, they don't call Dench the Dame for nothing. Tamahori did a great job with this film. As I said, straying away from some of the ridiculousness I normally associate with these films. Plus, Madonna had a cameo, and she is my fav! All in all, I have seen worse, and this was actually a lot of fun.


Brosnan and Pike

Rating: 3 (out of 5)



posted by Lisa at 1:26 p.m. |

 
Quote of the Day: "How fast can you get out of those clothes?"- Steven Seagal.

Today's movie is Half Past Dead, written and directed by Don Michael Paul. Starring Steven Seagal, Morris Chestnut, and Ja Rule, this film is starts with Nick Frazier (Ja Rule) vouching that his buddy Sascha Petrosevitch (Seagal) is 'clean', in others words, not a cop. They are sent on Sascha's first job, which ends badly, resulting in both men finding themselves in New Alcatraz. They do not know however that a criminal mastermind (Chestntut) will soon be breaking in with a team of heavily armed operatives to kidnap a man on death row. The man scheduled to die has hidden a vast treasure, and everybody wants it.

Okay, now the thing that amazes me, is that Don Michael Paul managed to take all the best actions scenes from the most popular movies in the last couple of years and work them into one script. I mean, we're talking about a crazy car scene a la Fast and the Furious, a fight scene that seems vaguely Matrix like, complete with the flying long trenchcoats, some skydiving that brings to mind XXX, and even something that reminded me of the ladder scene in The Muskateer. For a movie made up of a series of action sequences with a script thrown in to tie it together, it turned out to be surprisingly...what's the word?...hilarious. Seagal was supposed to be a Russian. His first line in the film had a faint accent, but thankful, he had dropped it by the second line. As interesting as hearing Seagal spitting out lines like "Da Comrade" would have been, I am glad that he did not attempt to pursue it. Ja Rule was great in his role as the bitch who gets thrown around like a rag doll, while still managing to look tough. I was, however, very impressed with the chemistry between Seagal and Ja Rule. The only thing against Chestnut in this film is that, well, he was in this film. Seagal, while clearly getting too old for action films, did make a good career decision by getting young rappers to be his co-stars, otherwise, who would go? Perhaps I am being to hard on this movie. I did get some genuine laughs, although, I don't think I was supposed to, and the action sequences were extremely well done.

Seagal and Ja Rule: Keeping it real.

As is: Rating: 2 (out of 5)
As a drinking game: Rating: 4 (out of 5)



posted by Lisa at 9:26 a.m. |

 
The movie I am reviewing today is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets! (Yay!! Finally, after weeks of counting down...) Directed by Chris Columbus, and starring Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, Emma Watson as Hermione Granger, as Ron Weasley, and Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy. This film also features the late Richard Harris, , Kenneth Branagh, Robbie Coltrane, and . This film is based on the book by J.K. Rowling, and follows Harry Potter in his second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It opens with Harry (Radcliffe) at the home of his cruel aunt and uncle, where he is confronted by an odd creature who warns him not to return to Hogwarts in the fall. He is rescued by his friend Ron (Grint) to await the start of the school year. However, something terrible is destined to happen this year at Hogwarts. Terrible things begin to happen, and Harry is plagued by horrible whispers only he can hear. Harry, Ron, and Hermione (Watson) set out to discover the deadly secret from the past that will reveal all.

For a die hard Harry Potter fan like myself, I was thrilled by this second installation of the series. While I personally found that the story rushed through the beginning, with a running time of 2 hours and 45 minutes, it is understandable. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is definately darker than the first movie, with more action and some distinctly eerie parts. Radcliffe shines yet again as Harry Potter, bringing to life this character and making it his own. Grint and Watson, who do no justice to the book's description of them, won us over in the first film with sheer talent, and do fantastic performances in this movie as well. Particularly Grint, with his incredibly expressive face and line delivery. A great loss in the death of Richard Harris, who is Albus Dumbledore. Harris with his soft voice and wise eyes, gives us a wonderful wizard, and will be difficult to replace, while Maggie Harris shines as Proffessor McGonagall, but I have yet to see Harris do poorly in any role. I was a little disappointed in how little we got to see Branagh as Gilderoy Lockhart for his portrayal of the smarmy proffessor was very well done. Coltrane was also a little less prominent in this film, but still enjoyable nonetheless, and Rickman again proves himself as the mean Proffessor Snape. As I said, this film runs quite long, but passes extremely quickly. I feel that the G rating should be a PG rating as, in my opinion, the story itself may not be suitable for young viewers, being dark and a little scary. With beautifully rendered sets, great costumes and a fantastic cast, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a definate film triumph that fans will love.

Watson, Grint and Radcliffe


Felton and Radcliffe

Rating: 4.5 (out of 5)



posted by Lisa at 10:31 a.m. |

 
The movie today is 8 Mile, currently in theaters. This film is directed by Curtis Hanson (Wonder Boys), and stars controversial rapper Eminem in his debut film role. This film is about a young white man named Jimmy (Eminem), known as Rabbit to his friends, who is struggling to make himself known as a rapper. After breaking up with his girlfriend, he moves back home with his mom Stephanie ((Kim Basinger-Bless the Child), who is a drunk, and his little sister. Living in Detroit, past the street known as 8 Mile, the boundry that separates the lower class with the upper class, Rabbit only has his friends to support him. His biggest fan is Future (Mekhi Phifer-ER), who hosts rap battles at a local club. Along the way he meets Alex (Brittany Murphy-Riding In Cars With Boys), a girl who, like Rabbit, is trying to get ahead in life.
Don't worry folks, the white women were not the only trashy ones in this film. While performances by individual actors and actresses were extremely good, this film does not live up to the hype. While it was very real, in the sense that you believe that all of this did in fact happen, the script was terrible. With horrible lines, and scenes that sometimes just appeared to be thrown in at random, I was very disappointed. It is clearly geared towards Eminem's younger, fan based audience. There were times, I admit, that I did burst out laughing. However, as these were supposed to be 'serious' scenes, I don't think that was the proper reaction. I was very impressed by Eminem in his first major film role, and I don't doubt that with a decent script, he will wow us in the future. Basinger has finally made a good career move; at least people will see her in this film, unlike 2000's "I Dream of Africa". A stellar performance by Basinger as Jimmy's drunk, strung out mother, if I do say so myself. I wasn't impressed at all by Murphy in this film at all. It doesn't take talent to act like a trashy slut. Phifer, playing the only character in the film based 100% on a person Eminem grew up with, did a great job. The highlight of the film had to be a character named Cheddar Bob, played by up and comer Evan Jones. Cheddar Bob provided the comic relief in a film that took itself far too seriously.

Basinger and Eminem
Rating: 2 (out of 5)
Cheddar Bob: 5 (out of 5)

posted by Lisa at 7:50 a.m. |

 
The movie I am reviewing today is Insomnia. This film was directed by Christopher Nolan, and stars Al Pacino (S1m0ne), Hilary Swank (The Space Between), and Robin Williams (Death to Smoochy). This film is about two LA detectives who have been sent to investigate the murder of a teenage girl in a small Alaska town. In the process of searching for the killer, detective Will Dormer (Pacino) accidentally shoots his own partner while trying to apprehend a suspect. Instead of admitting his guilt, the detective is given an unexpected alibi, but this "solution" only multiplies the emotional complexity and guilt over his partner's death. He's suddenly caught up in a whirlwind of blackmail and intrigue. There's also a local detective, Ellie Burr (Swank) who is conducting her own personal investigation... of his partner's death. Will it all come crashing down on him?

While this film starts off a little slow, once you get caught up in it, you are hooked. Stellar performances by all the actors result in a thrilling complex movie that has you asking questions and formulating theories as the story unfolds. I am actually incredibly impressed by the performances we have been seeing by Robin Williams of late, and this movie is no exception. Straying from his claim to fame comedy, Williams proves he worthy of sharing a dramatic film with the greatest of them. This is a film worth seeing.

Al Pacino and Robin Williams

Rating: 3.75(out of 5)


posted by Lisa at 9:48 a.m. |

 
The movie I am reviewing today is The Golden Bowl, an adaptation of the novel by Henry James, directed by James Ivory. This film, a period piece, features Uma Thurman (Hysterical Blindness), Kate Beckinsale (Pearl Harbor), Jeremy Northam (Possession), Nick Nolte (The Hulk), and Angelica Huston (The Royal Tenenbaums). This film is the story of Adam Verner (Nolte), an American millionaire who comes to London. With his comes his only child, Maggie (Beckinsale), whom he dotes upon. The young heiress is swept off her feet by the penniless Italian prince, Amerigo (Northam), never knowing that he is the lover of her friend Charlotte Stant (Thurman). Charlotte, like the prince, lacks the wealth to support her lifestyle, but is practical, marrying Adam in order to be close to Amerigo. The only one who is aware of all the intrigue is a friend of the family, Franny Assingham (Huston), who dares not tell the lovestruck Maggie the truth lest her own secrets be revealed. Charlotte desires him, the lovers risk discovery, Amerigo longs for Italy, Maggie wants to spare her father pain, and Adam wants to return to America to build a museum. Amidst lies and artifice, what fate awaits adulterers?

Always a fan of period films, I especially enjoyed this movie. The plot twisted and turned like a viper, drawing the viewer in, despite themselves. I haven't read the novel, but I certainly shall in the future. Many period films make the mistake of being far too lengthy, and ones attention drifts, but this story moved at a good pace, proving to be very entertaining. Costumes were beautiful, particularly a scene that took place during a masquerade party. Nolte was, surprisingly, a pleasure in this film. He was dashing and charming, and very enjoyable to watch. Beckinsale, in my opinion, delivered one of her best performances since 1999's Brokedown Palace. Northam, who is a staple of period films, most recently the acclaimed Gosford Park, was, as always, a treat, albeit poorly cast. Northam is no more Italian than I am. Thurman stole the show, so to speak. She fit into the role of Charlotte Shant like a glove, bringing her to life the character's multi-faceted personality. Huston's role was small, but nevertheless, well performed. For those of you who like period pieces, as I do, this is well worth watching.

Thurman and Northam

Rating: 4 (out of 5)



posted by Lisa at 1:01 p.m. |

 
I'm sorry I haven't updated this page very often, but I have actually been very busy. I haven't really watched many movies lately. With school and everything else, its just been crazy.

Well, finally, I have watched a movie, and it was K-Pax, directed by Iain Softley. Starring Kevin Spacey (The Shipping News) and Jeff Bridges (Darker Saints), this film tells the story of a mysterious patient who goes by the name of Prot (Kevin Spacey) in a mental hospital. Prot is admitted because he claims to be from a distant planet called K-Pax. As his psychiatrist, Dr. Mark Powell (Jeff Bridges) tries to figure out exactly how to help the patient, he gradually begins to realize that this so-called alien is having a remarkable effect on the mental health of the hospital's other patients.

I have to say that I really enjoyed this film. Spacey proves again why he is an Academy Award winner, playing Prot in a way that both moved me and drew me in. You wanted to believe that this character is an alien, a credit to the actor's ability to bring a character to life. Bridges was a strong co-star. He showed us all the emotions and inner conflicts of Dr. Powell in his search to cure his patient, yet his performance wasn't shrouded in cliche. With great performances from the numerous supporting actors and actresses, and a good script, Softley gives us a movie well worth seeing.

Bridges and Spacey
Rating: 3.75(out of 5)


posted by Lisa at 12:54 p.m. |