If you can't be famous...Be infamous.

Directed by Rob Marshall, and nominated for thirteen Oscars, Chicago is the movie I'm reviewing today. It stars Renee Zellweger (White Oleander) as fame hungry Roxie Hart, a woman who dreams of a life on the stage. Roxie meets Fred Cassely (Dominic West), a man who convinces her he can help her, and the two begin a torrid affair. When Cassely is bored of Roxie, he tells her that he doesn't have any more showbiz connections than she has. This is the final straw for Roxie and she shoots him, killing him. In jail, she meets tabloid darling Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones-America's Sweethearts), a singer who murdered her cheating husband and sister. Sharing the clink with Velma, are a collection of other sly females, all awaiting trial for the murders of their own partners. Velma is aloof to Roxie, but the prison Warden Mrs. (Mama) Morton (Queen Latifah-Brown Sugar) takes a liking to Roxie and hooks her up with slick Chicago lawyer, Billy Flynn (Richard Gere-Unfaithful), the ultimate showman. Also starring John C. Reilly (The Hours) and Taye Diggs (Brown Sugar).

What can I say? I loved it. Loved it. It deserves every Oscar nomination it received, and I think we're looking at a front runner for Picture of the Year. From the stage to the screen, this musical will capture you. The transitions from plot to musical numbers are flawless; numbers that provided a feast for the senses. Costumes are superb and sets are beautiful. I can't say enough about the performances though. Zellweger shines. Zeta-Jones is feisty. Reilly gives an absolutely fantastic performance as Amos Hart, the disillusioned husband of Roxie. I was very impressed by Gere, who I am not usually a fan of. There is one number in particular, called "A Tapdance" that is just amazing. I felt I was supposed to applaud at the end of it. Latifah, rapper gone glam, pulls off the role of Mama Morton with flair and style, more than holding her own with her more accomplished co-stars. Did I mention that I loved this film? A definate must see for everyone.


Zellweger as Roxie Hart


Gere and Zeta-Jones

Rating: 5 (out of 5)



posted by Lisa at 8:55 a.m. |

 
How far would you go to fit in?

The movie I am reviewing today is New Best Friend, directed by Zoe Clarke-Williams. It features Mia Kirshner (Not Another Teen Movie), Meredith Monroe (Minority Report), Dominique Swain (Dead in the Water), Rachel True (Who is A.B.?), and Taye Diggs (Chicago). Acting Sheriff Artie Bonner (Diggs) is called upon by the dean of Colby University to investigate a senior whose overdose has left her near dead. As he digs into the case, we see the story of Alicia Glazer (Kirshner), a shy girl trying to maintain her GPA in order to keep her scholarship, who is teamed up with rich Hadley Weston (Monroe) on a project. Two totally different worlds collide as Hadley, along with her friends Sidney (Swain) and Julianne (True), introduce Alicia to a world of sex, alcohol and drugs. (*Official Site)

Friendship and betrayal, the two things that drive this plot. Told in a series of flashbacks, this story grabs it's viewer and draws them in. While not the most original story, it is extremely well done, and leaves you guessing right up until the end. Kirshner gives a great performance, and you love and hate her all at the same time. Alicia is a character with many faces, and Kirshner gives life to them all. Monroe as the spoiled rich 'bitch' is a treat, while Swain, a great young actress, isn't shown to her potential. I highly recommend 97's Lolita where Swain gives a stellar perfomance. True, on the other hand, is mediocre in comparison. Diggs, otherwise a fine actor, is bland and wooden, but this is partially due to the fact that the character is never fully developed. In all, however, I fully enjoyed the film, and think that it is definately worth seeing.


Monroe, Swain, and Kirshner

Rating: 4 (out of 5)




posted by Lisa at 10:55 a.m. |

 
It started as a joke. But now the joke is on them.

Today's movie is Joy Ride, directed by John Dahl. It is the story of a college student, Lewis Thomas (Paul Walker-The Fast and The Furious), who sets out on a cross country road trip to pick up his childhood friend Venna (Leelee Sobieski-The Glass House). On his way, he makes a detour to bail his immature older brother, Fuller (Steve Zahn-National Security), out of jail. Fuller buys a cb radio cheap, and gets it installed in Lewis' car. Fuller coaxes Lewis into playing a cruel joke on a truck driver, known only as 'Rusty Nail' (voiced by Ted Levine). When the joke takes a deadly turn, Lewis, Venna, and Fuller find themselves being relentlessly stalked by the psychotic truck driver who is looking for more than an apology. (*Trailer)

Despite Walker and Sobieski, I really liked this movie. It reminds me of 1971's thriller Duel. The film has a strong screenplay, and you are easily caught up in it. You laugh at the 'joke', the sight of Walker talking sexy in a feminine voice too silly not to crack a smile. Smiles turn to worried expressions as the film takes its darker turn, resulting in edge of the seat suspense. I was unable to take my eyes of the screen. Zahn is my favorite in the film, managing to be witty and humorous but still bringing a gravity to the character. You can almost see Fuller 'growing up'. Walker, for once, is more than just a pretty face. I personally feel that he lacks the talent for drama, but he did well in this film. I think that action films are perhaps the way to go for this young actor. Sobieski, whose part was rather small, thankfully. Whereas Walker's future lies in thriller/action films, Sobieski's does not. She is much better suited for more serious roles as in My First Mister, but she managed a passable performance. Oddly enough, in my opinion the acting was incidental. As I said before, a strong script, and good direction are really what drive this film, making it worth seeing.


Zahn, Sobieski, and Walker

Rating: 3.75 (out of 5)

posted by Lisa at 6:41 a.m. |

 
He was the perfect weapon until he became the target.

The movie I'm reviewing today is The Bourne Identity, a film based on a novel by Robert Ludlum. Directed by Doug Liman, this movie stars Matt Damon (Jersey Girl), Franka Potente (Blow), and Chris Cooper (The Patriot). On a dark and stormy night, a man is pulled from the raging waters of the Mediterranean Sea by the crew of fishing boat. Two bullets are removed from his back, and when the man awakes, he cannot remember who is his. With only a Swiss bank account number to aid him in his search for his identity, he travels to Zurich to find that he is Jason Bourne (Damon), but then discovers a number of passports, all with his photo, and a large sum of money. It is soon clear that whoever put the bullets in his back are still hunting him, and he pays a young woman, Marie Kreutz (Portente), to drive him to Paris. Thus begins a desparate search for himself and the men who want him dead.

I will be honest, I had my doubts as Matt Damon as an action 'hero', but I was pleasantly surprised. Damon has such a youthful appearance, it was at first hard to imagine him as a hardened killer, but during some of the action sequences, where 'instinct' takes over, a change comes over his expression. Something hard and indifferent, and I was impressed in spite of myself. I first saw Franka Portente in the acclaimed Lola Rennt or Run Lola Run, and have been a fan ever since. Her performance in this feature provides another example of her talent, easily breaking the language barriar to excel in this role. Cooper is a grisled secret agent, and does a good job, although this role isn't a big change for him. The script was very good, with a few memorable lines, and of course, the occasional cliche. There were a few scenes that seemed very long, and the action was spread a little too far apart in some cases, but in all, I enjoyed it.


Portente and Damon

Rating: 3.25 (out of 5)

posted by Lisa at 7:51 a.m. |

 
The Whisper Told Most Often...

The movie I'm reviewing today is The Cat's Meow directed by Peter Bogdanovich. Starring Kirsten Dunst (Spider Man), Edward Herrmann (The Emperor's Club), Eddie Izzard (All The Queen's Men), Cary Elwes (Comic Book Villians), Jennifer Tilley (Jericho Mansions), and many more. This is the semi-true story of a mysterious Hollywood murder that happened in November of 1924. Media mogul William Randolph Hearst (Herrmann) throws a star-studded party aboard his yacht for his friend and collegue Thomas Harper Ince (Elwes). Among the guests are his mistress, starlet Marion Davies (Dunst), Charlie Chaplin (Izzard), and feared gossip columnist Louella Parsons (Tilley). (*Trailer)

This is an interesting story, made all the more entertaining as it is based on true story. With beautiful costumes, set and music, you are transported to the time of flappers and prohibition. Dunst shines as Marion Davies, playing well off her co-stars, particularly Herrmann and Izzard. Izzard didn't have the look of Charlie Chaplin, but this was quickly overlooked as his performance was very good. Tilley's role wasn't very big, but she did well, holding her own despite an annoying character. I enjoyed the film, but there were parts that were a little long, and some scenes didn't seem to have anything to do with the story. In all, worth seeing, but nothing to get excited about.


Dunst and Izzard

Rating: 3 (out of 5)



posted by Lisa at 11:49 a.m. |