12/03/06 The Librarian: Return To King Solomon's Mines

The Librarian: Return To King Solomon's Mines (2006), directed by Jonathan Frakes

watched w/ Leslie; television (TNT) @ home

To say that this film was highly anticipated (as most reviews do) is like saying that tooth decay followed by root canal is highly anticipated. Maybe I'm being a bit harsh, because I know that Leslie will say she enjoyed the film tremendously. I'm sure it's everyone's dream to be a hapless career grad student (Noah Wyle, the dude from "ER" who can't cut it in real movies, so he has to stick to the small screen & bad special effects) who applies luckily to become the librarian/curator of a prestigious library/museum that has magical qualities, thanks in large part to old wise bossman Bob Newhart, and finds that he is the "chosen one" to save the world of evil and protect the most priceless artifacts of civilizations past. Uh, yeah, the dude from "ER" you say? Not buying it. Sorry. When you give me the chance to watch any TNT channel movie, brace for the impending doom. It's called the small screen for a reason, but of course...when the original was a sleeper hit, they went all "big-budget" with a sequel...and well, I think they let their fifth-grade computer class work on the fireball explosions and animated in-animate objects. A horribly cheesy knock-off of anything "Harry Potter" crossed with everything "Indiana Jones," and casting any former cast member of any TV medical drama...and you have this magical mystery tour. It's corny, it's hokey, and it's only saving grace is the ever-quirky and quippy Newhart (bless his heart). What's that you say? And this crap doesn't even count for my daily movie? Damn rules.

2 out of 5 stars

12/02/06 Clerks 2

Clerks 2 (2006), directed by Kevin Smith

watched w/ Leslie (partially); DVD rental (Netflix) @ home & car ride (Raleigh, NC)

Coming on the heels of a somewhat disappointing departure from his usual comedy gold with "Jersey Girl," and clocking in at just a shade over a decade from his original groundbreaking indie hit "Clerks," Kevin Smith returns to his roots...albeit with a much bigger production value than his famous original. However, you have to give the tubby guy credit, he doesn't veer far from the basic premise of that brutally honest first film, as it just captures vignettes of true-to-life slackers in Anytown, USA. Our favorite dead-end jobbers Dante & Randall are back, along with other staples such as Smith & Jason Mewes' Jay & Silent Bob. That 20-something malaise that set in with the first "Clerks" has never truly left the now 30-something crew, just been put into an older, wiser and more bitter frame of mind. The guys are now forced to take a job at the crappy fast food chain Mooby's, deal with each other's shortcomings, wax poetic about women, life & pop culture, and somehow try not to die of boredom. When Dante's impending engagement may force him to relocate from Jersey, Randall is forced to question the magnitude of their friendship and (perhaps even his sexuality) how they could never make it without one another. In what is definitely full of rude & crude dialogue and snippets of degrading action, Smith still manages to create a mature world of feelings and thought-provoking social commentary with his work. A true testament to a regular guy who has escaped the doldrums of minimum-wage hell, to become someone larger than life today, Smith is the ultimate comic book geek hero. How can you resist this stuff? The usual suspects of Ben Affleck, Ethan Suplee, and Jason Lee show up...along with newcomer to the comical debauchery Rosario Dawson. Impassioned debates over the homo-phobic nature about which "Return Of" is better..."The King" of "The Jedi." Pillowpants...don't ask don't tell. He gives homage to his own original script, but doesn't rely solely on old gags & jokes to get through, creating a solid sequel (and perhaps end to a franchise dork dynasty?)...and did anyone mention the donkey show yet?! Oh dear God.

5 out of 5 stars

12/01/06 Pickpocket

Pickpocket (1959), directed by Robert Bresson

watched solo; theater (NC Museum of Art, Raleigh, NC); French Cinema Classics Film Series

Now for some culture. Some artistic culture...involving experimental French cinema, major art museum exhibitions, and some deep inner-monologues within my own brain. Yes, I went off to experience this work of art alone, to collect my thoughts in a room full of arsty fartsy types. With much pomp and circumstance, critics and fans alike were discussing the merits of this stylized brand of cinema on culture and how indelible a mark it may have left...I slipped into the back row (almost as if I was sneaking into a boring college lecture hall in order to only doze off the moment the lights were dimmed). Alas, to what do my wondering eyes see? A beautifully crafted film of simplicity and intrigue, black and white, with little to no dialogue throughout. What is on display here is mostly an appreciation of an artform...and I'm not speaking of the cinematics. Filmmaker Bresson puts on display a quasi-documentary style film, where he gives an artist's appreciative eye to the deftly maneuvering hands of some real-life pickpockets. Yup, all this art for the sake of thievery. Well, you say that most art created these days is thievery anyway huh? It's not like most songs are samplings of older more creative lyrical ditties. It's not as if most movies are nothing more than sad remakes of previously un-clever films based upon semi-best-selling books. It's art imitating life imitating art...I think. In any regard, Bresson shows a very intriguing take on the "art" of pickpocketing, with sleight of hand, body language and observant eyes that speak both to the thieves as well as the filmmaker. It's a very clever and straightforward approach to filmmaking, but utterly brilliant in the framing of the painting. The movie is intoxicating in a very subdued & hypnotic way, as the main character plays a thief who's served his time & wants to try to get out of the immoral game. It's a conflict between the ability to make good decisions as well as appreciate the craft of stealing. Ahhh, you gotta love art. Or hate it. Do what you want.

4 out of 5 stars

11/30/06 The Fountain

The Fountain (2006), directed by Darren Aronofsky

watched w/ Leslie; theater (Southpoint Cinemas, Durham, NC)

With Christmas shopping in full swing (well, for me, since I like to procrastinate), we were stranded pretty far from home with time dwindling down in order to watch a movie for the day...we stopped into one of those gigantic shopping mall cineplexes to avoid the crowds. What better way to avoid even the holiday season movie theater crowds (watching inevitably some crappy family-oriented animated film with talking ferrets or dumpsters and trying to hush sugared-up toddlers that are so bratty you want to slap the bejesus out of them) than by selecting the most overly pretentious art-house flick that has no business being shown at such a conglomerate theater?! Well, considering this is a studio release, and done by a director who has been much anticipated after such classic indie films as "Pi" and "Requiem For A Dream," this should be nothing less than fantastic. And, well, aside from the overall length of the film, it was. A completely surreal and trippy intergalactic and cross-generational love story that is told so beautifully and poignantly that very little dialogue is even necessary. Even the minor dialogue (strike that, mostly inner monologue) that is present is spoken in interrupted hushes and murmurs. Hugh Jackman plays Tom, a doctor who is so wrapped up in his work with finding a cure for his wife's (Rachel Weisz) cancer...that the lines between reality and dreams become very very blurred. The story itself does not hold us just to the one storyline, but three parallel ones that jump spans in the millenium all searching for some deeper meaning within life, spirituality, death, and science. That fragile balance of all those subjects tears at the man's heart, as he wants nothing more than to appreciate life's sweet pleasures with his lovely wife, yet must wrap his analytical head around all of its subtle inner-workings. The tree of life plays an integral part of the man's journey, his dreams of his love, and the delicate tapestry of humanity's connections. Now, all that artsy mumbo jumbo aside...this film is an utterly breathtaking "experience" film. Just sit back in the theater seat and soak in the entire screen. Let yourself be drawn into the pictures and the ideas...get lost in the silence...fall asleep, get high, never blink, whatever you need to do. It is a heart-wrenching story, but with an air of lightness and soul-searching that was refreshing...a well invited change of pace from the horrendous throngs of holiday shoppers. Maybe the bratty kids need to sit & chill with this subliminal mind-meld of a film, and not the animated singing doorknob.

5 out of 5 stars

11/29/06 Menace II Society

Menace II Society (1993), directed by Albert & Allen Hughes

watched solo; DVD rental (North American Video) @ home

A big fan of the Hughes Brothers work ("Dead Presidents" and "From Hell"), I never did catch this original piece from them, that was to prove the most gritty and raw of their thematic elements. What I thought would be just another entry into the urban ghetto dramas that followed up the excellent and hard-hitting "Boyz N The Hood" or "New Jack City," this film actually had more comparisons to another excellent piece of violent work. I must also admit here that I totally stole this comparison and ideas from a review I read on a website, but I found myself completely agreeing with the statements. This gritty urban drama paralleled something like Scorsese's "GoodFellas" more than anything else. What we have is a similar theme by showing a flawed main character that has been raised and nurtured in a violent community around him, at heart a good person yet caught up in the seedy dealings that are all around. The anti-hero that is presented is trying to get out of his respective hell that he has created, but inevitably falls victim before fully breaking free. As Ray Liotta's character Henry played a narrative that showed two sides to a gangster lifestyle, so does the main character here Caine. Caine is a young man trying to avoid the harsh trappings of the ghetto and its crime-ridden warfare of gang-banging and drugs, on the verge of his high school graduation and perhaps escaping this particular world. Lead into many unwanted situations of crime by his crazy friend "O-Dog," influenced at a young age by his imprisoned older brother, and pushed out of his loving surroundings by his grandparents when they learn about his lifestyle, Caine is faced with a frightening reality. Being smart enough to alleviate his current plight, Caine must choose whether he can leave that life behind and make his future better...or succumb to the status quo of the ghetto. It's a very harsh and biting tale of brutal youth in urban society, who are trying to live a normal life amidst vicious surroundings. While not at all as impactful as "Boyz N The Hood" can prove to be, it is nonetheless a very important landmark film...plus it was a key part of the Wayans Brothers eventual spoof of the aforementioned genre. Cue the longest movie title ever. "Don't Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice In The Hood" ring a bell?

3 out of 5 stars

11/28/06 Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!

Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965), directed by Russ Meyer

watched solo; VHS rental (North American Video) @ home w/ Leslie (partially)

Wanting desperately to get some Russ Meyer and buxom depravity into the Challenge before the year was up...I managed to squeak this not-so-squeaky-clean cult classic by the censorship bureau, and partake in all its hot rod glory. What else could you expect from the film that spawned the name of a 80's hair metal band, but the utmost in debauchery and exotic violence?! There doesn't have to much of a plot to a Russ Meyer film, just cleavage...and perhaps a whip, or a gun, or a fast car, or a loose woman, or a vengeful menace, or a creepy dude, or an upbeat score, or ample cleavage, or tales of seduction and temptation, or ample cleavage...well, I guess really there is quite a lot to a Russ Meyer film. What we have on grandiose display here are three go-go dancers (Varla, Rosie & Billie) who are joyriding through the desert looking for some action and breaking all kinds of rules. Playing up his usual strong-minded women in the lead roles, Meyer takes us on a murderous rampage with the three women, who will stop at nothing to get what they want. After encountering a young couple on their travels, they challenge the man to a drag race...with the prize not only his life, but taking his beautiful lady hostage for their bidding. Then they happen across an old geezer and his two sons (one gruff, one idiot) and the supposed trove of money that they have holed up on their property. What the ladies don't count on is that the old timer and his boys have their own agenda (and creepy intentions) with the buxom beauties, and the battle is on! It's a fast paced tale of seduction, violence and craziness...and did I mention ample cleavage? Russ Meyer, you are a genius.

3 out of 5 stars

11/27/06 Galaxy Quest

Galaxy Quest (1999), directed by Dean Parisot

watched w/ Leslie (partially); VHS (Leslie's copy) @ home; suggested by Leslie & Jason

This is one of those comedies that people have talked about for years, saying that it's pretty funny...but by all trailers I had ever seen, it seemed like something that would be completely dumb and I wouldn't like it. Plus, it has Tim "the Toolman" Allen in it...so there's a strong possibility that it was going to be utter crap. I have to say though, it wasn't half bad. In a crazy case of mistaken identity and alien life forms, a group of washed up sci-fi TV-show stars find they have become something bigger than any of them could have ever imagined. Some eighteen years after their show was canceled from the airwaves, the group is struggling to stay in the public's consciousness by appearing at cheesy sci-fi conventions and store openings. Wallowing in their own despairs and getting on each other's last nerves, the fictional space crew is thrust into a real-life intergalactic war when a group of true space aliens comes to Earth to gather them for a mission. Thinking that the broadcast signals of their original TV-show were actual historical documents of gallant space warriors, the race of Thermians zap the crew onto their space craft where they are to battle the evil General Sarris and his armada. The ensemble cast is a mix-match of the same quirky ensemble crew they portray in the film...Tim Allen as the pompous and hung-over superstar captain, Sigourney Weaver as the never-taken-seriously bombshell, Alan Rickman as the uber-brilliant and over-looked sidekick, Daryl Mitchell as the cool and quippy youngster, and Tony Shalhoub & Sam Rockwell thrown in the mix for laughs. The beauty with the comedy comes in its simplicity at poking fun at its own genre and fans. The sci-fi Trekkies-esque nature of the war caused by a TV-show that was made into a film...never takes itself too seriously, and never hesitates to make fun of well...itself. Eat your heart out sci-fi geeks, maybe some day you really can save the world. Or, maybe you will die a virgin, you never know.

3 out of 5 stars

11/26/06 Your Friends & Neighbors

Your Friends & Neighbors (1998), directed by Neil LaBute

watched solo; DVD rental (North American Video) @ home

First off, since this has absolutely nothing to do with the title of or plot therein of this movie, I thought it was at least coincidental that the title does lend to the connections in my life today. What I am rambling on about is that my friends (and not neighbors) in real life today are very much in my thoughts...as I have found out that my best friend & his wife are the proud parents (for the second time over) of a beautiful baby girl! Congrats to the web page master of this Challenge...while I've been devoting a year to watching other stories of life...he's been living one as a father. Not too shabby, but I'd like to see him try keeping his eyes glued to a TV-set for over a year. I'm just kidding...but I digress as usual. Speaking of keeping your eyes glued to a storyline...so is usually the case with any of director Neil LaBute's films of a stage-like character-driven quality. LaBute is responsible for some of modern day's most intriguing, hard-hittingly blunt, and questionable tales of morality in cinema. Blossoming as a playwright, and tackling subject matter that is in-your-face with conversational dialogue, LaBute was an indie hit with his first film "In The Company Of Men." He then followed up with this caustic tale of marital un-bliss, with people cheating on and lying to each other left & right. Oh a joyous piece it was...nont really. It's so sad that couples can be like this, and not just playing it up for the art's sake...but that people can generally be miserable a-holes if you let them. No one in this film deserves your sympathy or your understanding...they just are who they are, warts and all. The bitter/apathetic couples are played by Ben Stiller & Catherine Keener (Jerry & Terri) and Aaron Eckhart & Amy Brenneman (Barry & Mary). Unhappy with each other, the couples begin a dangerous game of infidelity, hoping to find the missing piece sexually in their sad monogamous lives. Thrown into the mix are exotic art gallery owner Nastassja Kinski (Cheri) and arrogant chauvinist Jason Patric (Cary) for good measure, and sexual tension. Oh, and clever Neil LaBute had to keep all the characters' names in a rhythmic pattern. Anyway, the women are unhappy and jumping into bed with obnoxious dudes who sit around the gym locker room trading conquest stories. It's a very blunt and matter-of-fact presentation of humanity's faults, done in every way that of a theatrical play...giving you someone to despise and never to become. There are artful cinematic elements that pop up within the converging storylines and agendas, where every character has their turn speaking with the exotic Cheri at an art gallery exhibition. Each person comments directly (or sometimes through innuendo indirectly) on a piece of art, only to reveal a piece of their unique personalities and tendencies. It's a fractured tale, yet powerful enough to keep you focused on disliking all the participants. Yeah!

3 out of 5 stars

11/25/06 The 13th Warrior

The 13th Warrior (1999), directed by John McTiernan

watched solo; DVD (borrowed from parents) @ Leslie's Dad's house (Havertown, PA)

Another day of vacation spent relaxing, catching up with relatives and loved ones, eating way too much food, and flexing the old brain muscles on Scrabble word placements. It's been a quite eventful day and evening, full of fun and driving around the great state of Pennsylvania. Alas, I'm getting towards the end of my Challenge, and the hassle of sticking a feature-length film viewing into my already busy vacationer's schedule can be taxing. What's worse is when everyone gets to rub it in that they get to go to bed early and slumber peacefully, while I still have to stay up until midnight to finish watching my movie. It takes a true warrior's spirit to take one for the team like that...especially when the TV in the house is on the fritz, and my portable DVD player is not charged fully...thereby making me lay very close to a wall outlet (uncomfortably I might add) in order to see 'til the last minute of film. That warrior spirit (while having nothing whatsoever to do with the actual film) is on display both in my stamina and the film's title. This epic (both in scope of the Crichton novel, and apparently in blockbuster filmmaking budget flops) undertaking has Antonio Banderas in the lead role of Ahmed Ibn Fadlan blah blah blah (the dude has 20 names). Ahmed is an Arab ambassador in 922 A.D., who is sent to make a peaceful contact with a barbaric Viking tribe in the North. Upon meeting the clan, Ahmed is disgusted with their savage customs, unsanitary conditions, and overall...well, barbaric lifestyle. First cast as an outsider to the tribe, Ahmed soon learns that he can interpret the native Viking dialect in their conversations, shocking the men. It is then regarded as a sign that Ahmed will join their clan as the (you guessed it) 13th warrior who must help them fight off an ancient creature of the mist (the Wendol) who destroys the villages and feasts on the flesh of humans. It's either join the fight or die a terrible death for Ahmed, as he begins to be accepted and trusted by the Vikings. It's a rather basic plotline of epic proportions, and aside from its goofy over-postulating, is an enjoyable film. Of course, I may have just been bored all by myself watching it and wanted desperately to connect with some human life form...albeit in 922 A.D. and with Vikings who believe a giant nasty creature will eat their babies...but so what!?!

3 out of 5 stars

11/24/06 Left Behind

Left Behind (2000), directed by Vic Sarin

watched w/ Leslie, Jenny, Leslie’s Mom; VHS (Leslie’s Mom’s copy) @ Leslie’s Mom’s house (Bethlehem, PA)

In what is perhaps a convergence of three of the saddest events I could ever envision someone mustering up, I bring you this travesty. The ironic thing about this monumental convergence is the simple fact that the existence of this movie and subsequent blog about it are the very signs that the book portends to be the end of civilization as we know it. Simply put…we have the Apocalypse upon us, and only Mikey Seaver can save us. The three signs of this filmmaking apocalypse start with the fact that 80’s sitcom heartthrob Kirk Cameron (of “Growing Pains” infamy) has now become a born-again Christian with a penchant for spreading the word of God through horribly bad cinema and adopting tons of kids. Second, that cinematic penchant plays to all of our worst fears that the world is coming to an end (Armageddon style) and only the righteous will be saved, leaving the wickedly sinful on Earth to destroy each other and burn in Hell (uplifting as that sounds). And third, the embarrassing fact that I was about to sit down and watch this entire movie (which is sadly the first in a series of three riveting catastrophes) and have to live to tell about it. Yes, if that’s not signs of the Apocalypse, than my name is Buck Williams…which is funny, because that’s the name of our hero…Mike Seaver, I mean, Kirk Cameron, I mean Bible Man (no wait, that’s other 80’s sitcom guy Willie Aames (www.bibleman.com/) from “Charles In Charge”), I mean Buck Williams. Buck is a TV journalist who must report, then investigate the rash of recent mysterious disappearances of people off the face of the Earth. When he joins up with airline pilot Rayford Steele (don’t these names sound like porno names?) and his mistress flight attendant Hattie Durham (Cameron’s real life wife)…Buck must reach his trusted friend in scientist Dr. Rosenzweig. What he fails to see is that the trusted doctor may very well be in cahoots with multi-millionaires and the government in order to sell-out and help plan global domination on a corporate level. Super billionaire Nicolae Carpathia (super evil bad guy) is actually a super evil bad guy (wait, did I say that already?), and will stop at nothing to crush the world. Now if weren’t for that mangy mutt Scooby and his team of misfit born-agains lead by shaggy burn-out Buck Williams.You have to believe me that when hearing about this movie, I took it to be a giant hoax…something that was of epic urban legend proportions, and not something that people would ever take seriously and shape their entire careers around, teach classes on, or raise their children on its findings. “Left Behind” brings us to the forefront of religious, social, and moral struggle for the 21st century, all with a keen eye, acerbic wit and pathetic special effects. And the most laughable part of all, is that clean-cut Kirk is so into it…he tries his hardest to make this believable and serious, even going so far as to have an educational disclaimer about his ministry at the end of the piece. No longer the heartthrob, but slimy televangelist Kirk Cameron. Say it ain’t so Alan Thicke.

1 out of 5 stars

11/23/06 Hour Of The Wolf

Hour Of The Wolf (1968), directed by Ingmar Bergman

watched solo; DVD rental (North American Video) @ car ride (from Hammonton, NJ to Havertown, PA) & Leslie’s Dad’s house (Havertown, PA)

Going back to my college film course days, I wanted to revisit a certain class subject matter that always bored me to tears (or at least to drooling on my desktop as the lights dimmed to watch the film). You see, I took one film course strictly on famed Swedish director Ingmar Bergman and his obsession with the human psyche, life and death, and the ambiguity between illusion and reality. Basically, and mind you…I may have been too hungover to fully appreciate the heavy-handed surreal elements of his films and the incessant inner-monologue and introspection to his main characters…, his films were nothing spectacular to me. From what I can remember through my heavy eyelids were snippets of such “classics” as “Persona” and “Fanny & Alexander,” liking only his “Seventh Seal” for its stoic yet effective treatment. OK, so my uneducated brain perhaps could not comprehend the depth of the art it was processing, but I was never all that impressed with the Swede…but I have to admit, on this day of thanks (it’s Thanksgiving, if you haven’t checked a calendar lately or eaten so much turkey that the tryptophan has knocked you completely unconscious while watching football with relatives in the living room) that I appreciated how much I did like this film. And I know there’s probably two statements in that last sentence that could raise a few eyebrows…yes, I did in fact enjoy a Bergman film and secondly tryptophan can make you sleepy…but it probably doesn’t come solely from the turkey you greedy buggers. Now, to the fictional plot…the film centers on a struggling artist who is slowly losing his grip on reality, as he secludes himself on a desolate island cabin with his worried wife. The artist, very closed off to emotions with his wife, soon begins to allow her more into his deepest and darkest memories. The dark ambience is heightened by the late night witching hours, between midnight and dawn known as “The Hour Of The Wolf.” Even though I have family who live in Sweden, that’s my best interpretation of Swedish language…although I used to know how to count numbers fairly high thanks to my uncle…but I digress. Not unlike Bergman does in most his films. Anyway, some interesting side notes to the people in this movie…director Bergman (of no relation to other famous Swede film actress Ingrid Bergman, although his fifth wife was also named Ingrid…weird); actress Liv Ullmann (had child with director Bergman, but of no known relation to British funny woman Tracey Ullman); and finally stoic actor Max Von Sydow (of close relation to Mr. & Mrs. Von Sydow, his parents).

3 out of 5 stars

11/22/06 Vacuuming Completely Nude In Paradise

Vacuuming Completely Nude In Paradise (2001), directed by Danny Boyle

watched w/ Leslie (partially); DVD rental (Netflix) @ car ride (from Christiana, MD to Buena, NJ)

So, the trip begins to the great Northeast for our holiday vacation. I decided to pack along some shorter length films (for time constraints), and some interesting filmmakers' work (considering I wanted to include some more important directors on the year's Challenge). Both of those categories applied to today's selection, considering my selection was hindered by the ungodly amount of vehicular traffic that plagued the highways (I-95 is the devil). Since my leg of driving took a bit longer than originally intended (we just got stuck in bumper to bumper traffic for hours on end), we decided to watch a majority of it on the passenger's lap (Leslie) and my focus had to come in spurts as I would tap the gas pedal and then the brake incessantly. That all being said, I probably wasn't in the happiest of moods in commentary on said film...but all in all the quality of the picture left me disappointed. Boyle is a very talented and spastic director (the man behind the utterly raw & brilliant "Trainspotting," "Shallow Grave," "Millions," "The Beach," and "28 Days Later..."), but this one was an original British made-for-TV film that crammed the same chaotic cuts and spasms to barely 76 minutes (just made the cut, I checked). The plot was completely ludicrous, and disturbingly realistic in its filthy frankness. Pete is an aspiring club DJ who tries to make ends meet, and please his demanding stripper girlfriend, takes a job as a vacuum salesman who falls into a world of shady business practice and spiralling mental states. Pete is mentored by the appallingly crude Tommy (Timothy Spall), who will try any seedy tactics to make the sale and lie his way through life. All the immorality, sexual frustration, and bad hygiene lead Pete into a frenetic uneasiness...all to the edge of his own sanity. Tommy tries desperately to keep him under his wing, if only to further his own personal gain, to help win the coveted "Golden Hoover" award for best vacuum salesman of the year. All the twisted events finally culminate in a tragic banquet hall where Tommy becomes the one who loses his grip on sanity when his world begins to crumble before everyone's eyes. The movie starts off with much promise for dark comedy and bizarre camera-work, but in the end becomes a crass imitation of its own over-the-top bravado. There are still some classic scenes...my favorite being when Pete enters the old eccentric ladies apartment to find mountains (literally) of old newspaper collections, setting the room ablaze accidentally, trying to rescue the (unknowingly) dead woman, and having Tommy find him in his underwear...frantic, incoherent and with headlines of major world news pasted to his sweaty body parts. Yeah, you'd have to see it to understand it. That, and the title alone almost warranted another star...but alas, no "Golden Hoover" today.

2 out of 5 stars

11/21/06 Herbie Fully Loaded

Herbie Fully Loaded (2005), directed by Angela Robinson

watched w/ Leslie, Tim, Sarah, Rebecca, Mom & Dad; DVD (family's copy) @ parents' house (Southern Pines, NC)

Taking a much needed break off from work this week, with the Thanksgiving holiday approaching, Leslie & I decided to head down & visit with my family since we'd be going up to Pennsylvania to visit with her family for the holiday. Not only was this a chance for us to kick back & relax, spend quality time catching up with all my siblings (3) and parents (2) and pets (3). Full house, yes...and all kinds of chaos can ensue. One particular order of the chaos rears its ugly head in the form of sitting down to watch a lovely (see ridiculously painful) family film, so we can all share in my Challenge together. When put to a democratic vote (I was immediately ignored when I protested, beaten down by governmental force with my "outsider" opinions, and ultimately shunned to couchless vantage point to view the social debacle), the movie choice was soon to be a criticized political campaign after election. I demanded a recount, but no avail..."Herbie Fully Loaded" was chosen. Gone are the days of the lovable Disney ventures of the 60's, with the psychedelic Volkswagen Beetle with a comical mind of its own and goofy funnyman Buddy Hackett. Gone are the many zany sequels that endured, seeing Herbie not only "Ride Again," but sending him to "Monte Carlo," leading to his unfortunate case of going "Bananas," ultimately reincarnating himself with suave leadman Bruce Campbell in the driver seat in the 90's. Yes, gone are those lovably wacky treats...and here are the avoidable tacky bleeps of Lindsay Lohan's tragic career, directed by Robinson (of "D.E.B.S." fame). Lohan plays Maggie (who's strangely not all coked up or checking herself into rehab weekly like her real-life counterpart), a hot-rod teenager who's tried to give the wild race life up because of her father's (Michael Keaton) wishes for her safety. Pulled back into the adrenaline of the competition from pompous pro-racer Trip Murphy (Matt Dillon) and the egging-on of her best bud/geeky romantic interest (Justin Long, that Mac dude from the Mac vs. PC commercials), Maggie gets the help from a forgotten yet restored Herbie. It's a love/hate, give & take relationship that Maggie has with the car, but she soon realizes that they must work together as a team to make it & learn important life lessons. Now only if Lindsay's career could learn those same principles from a car in real life...perhaps I wouldn't have had to sit through this lackluster dud of a campy Herbie flick. Say what you want, but there will be no recount on these star ratings...and I was generous.

2 out of 5 stars

11/20/06 Don't Come Knocking

Don't Come Knocking (2005), directed by Wim Wenders

watched solo; DVD rental (Blockbuster) @ home & car ride (Raleigh, NC)

There was a period in college (basically because I had a German Cinema class and access to the university's movie library for rentals) when I was in to watching Wenders' stuff...if nothing more than for interest into something different or artsy. I'll be the first to admit that some of his stuff can be utterly boring and drag on, but then there are others that are very in tune with human emotions and relationships with one another. There you have the bad ("The End Of Violence" comes to mind) and the good ("Paris, Texas" and "The American Friend" to name two). I consider this one to fall in the latter category, as it stands as a simplistic yet mesmerizing tale of redemption and finding oneself. In a combination of talent, Sam Shepard comes in with not only the lead acting part in the story, but also penned the screenplay for the film. Sheapard plays Howard Spence, a washed up western film star who has for years drowned his sorrows in booze, drugs and women...squandering the high life and putting his secretive past behind him. Finally wanting something solid, Howard suddenly leaves a film shoot in the desert to travel back to his boyhood home and visit his mother (Eva Marie Saint) that he hasn't seen in decades. Upon this stilted reunion with his mother, Howard comes to find out something about his long-lost and jilted lover of his past, Doreen (Jessica Lange). Doreen, the only woman he's truly ever loved and never had the courage to stand beside forever, may very well have had his child and been keeping it secret from his Hollywood world. Now set on a quest to find them both, Howard is a man with an empty soul and sent in the first true direction of his life. It goes without saying that the reunion will happen with many bristles, trudging up past mistakes and misfortunes...and a son that wants nothing to do with a deadbeat father. All the while, another journey is happening with a young woman (Sarah Polley) who also looks for the long-lost father from another relationship, and whose path may very well cross in their common journeys. Set amongst a desolate western backdrop, and punctuated with a quiet western town full of wild personalities (an ensemble cast including Fairuza Balk as the son's erratic girlfriend, and Tim Roth as the man assigned to bring Howard and his contract back to the Hollywood shoot)...the film flows very smoothly into an intoxicating tale of solace. Albeit a dusty dirty bumpy trail to solace, but a beautiful one nonetheless. Wenders, you have done the lonely beleaguered soul well again...and maybe some college kid can check out this work in some other German Cinema course.

4 out of 5 stars

11/19/06 Strangers With Candy

Strangers With Candy (2005), directed by Paul Dinello

watched solo; DVD rental (Blockbuster) @ home

Coming off the tails of the cult classic TV show of the same name (actually, I think they waited a bit too long to bring this feature length film to fruition...it may have gotten a bit stale on the shelves), this dark comedy brings back all the usual suspects in base filthy humor of self proclaimed "boozer, user and a loser." If ever you have caught the short-lived, but disturbingly hilarious tales on Comedy Central, of Jerri Blank...you know what I'm talking about. Coming from the twisted comedic minds of Amy Sedaris (sister of acclaimed writer David), Stephen Colbert (yes, we all no where he has ended up..."Daily Show" or "Colbert Report" ring a bell?), and Paul Dinello (who also directed this, but not too sure what else he has gone on to do)...comes this delightfully bizarre trip down memory lane. Sedaris plays Jerri, the 46 year-old ex-con/reformed drug addict/teenage runaway...who after a life of hardened lessons and prison trouble decides to reunite with her long-lost family and return to high school to finish what she never accomplished in graduating. Obviously not in tune with modern day teenage life, her family's odd behaviors, or sanity in general...Jerri stumbles through everyday adolescent mishaps, and tries desperately to fit in. We have all of the band of characters from the beloved TV show returning, including ambiguously gay art teacher Mr. Jellineck (Dinello), his closeted uptight colleague Chuck Noblet (Colbert), gruff yet weird principal Onyx Blackman, and dysfunctional family including her constantly comatose father (Dan Hedaya)...spiced up with a handful of Hollywood notables added to the eccentric cast, including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ian Holm, Matthew Broderick (the science fair genius), and Sarah Jessica Parker (the sexually frustrated guidance counselor...actually one of the funnier roles). However, none of these hair-brained roles or plot ideas ever truly make this film worth any laughs...with a film packed with so much talent...and such an long-awaited arrival to the big screen, you would expect more, and I did. Seen as a prequel to the funnier TV show's entries, as I stated before...there was just way too much time off from the show being cancelled and them deciding to dust off the material to make this crap. If you want to see the true awkwardness in Jerri's corrupt humor, you will look into the TV series and not this forgettable installation. Even better, and more obscure of reference...look into the trio's (Sedaris, Dinello and Colbert) other cult classic Comedy Central sketch comedy show "Exit 57" for some early twisted stuff. Also, what I found most fascinating about researching this film is that the Jerri character is based on a real person named Florrie Fisher. Fisher was a motivational speaker to high school students in the 60's & 70's, talking about her past drug addictions and fall into prostitution...which were chronicled in the story/movie "The Lonely Trip Back." Her checkered past was one that was horrible and fascinating, and larger than life...with her mysteriously falling out of the public eye as quickly as she came into it...with her whereabouts/death never truly known. I had no idea that all this dark comedic plotline held some relevance to reality...that's the craziest part of all.

2 out of 5 stars

11/18/06 Casino Royale

Casino Royale (2006), directed by Martin Campbell

watched w/ Leslie, Joel, Laurie; theater (Crossroads 20 Cinema, Cary, NC); free screening

Finally rejuvenating one of the most timeless and longest running film franchises in history, this wonderful punch of spirit comes through in the latest installment of the brilliant spy series...known simply as 007, or is that Bond, James Bond. I always grew up a huge fan of the James Bond series, due in large part to my father's extensive VHS collection (and Beta before that) of Ian Fleming's world-reknowned super-sleuth. We could talk ourselves until we were blue in the face (as I'm sure many web geeks do daily on various Bond chatrooms) as to the legacy and honor of the series, and could anyone supplant Sean Connery in the titular role of suave, and how huge a mistake was Timothy Dalton...but alas, I will keep my web geek site simply to enjoying the medium of said films on the big screen (and pertaining to this year's Challenge). Unless you' ve been living under a rock, you should know the success of the classic Ian Fleming spy novels about Bond, and his gloriously sexy escapades in what has now been its 21st official installment. That statement right there leads me into a large debate over the validity of just how many "Bond" films there are out there, and I'll leave the discussion up to you after perusing some of the sites, but suffice it to say that one of Connery's own films doesn't count in the traditional sense...where you could say that this latest one is the 22nd...but that is of course not considering the bastard child of a comedy spoof Bond film aptly named "Casino Royale" back in 1967 with Peter Sellers, Woody Allen and an all-star cast. Alas, I'm being sucked into the conversation now. Let's just look at the fact that this is a brilliant movie, on par with some of even Connery's greatest stabs at Bond ("Dr. No," "Thunderball," and "Goldfinger" to name a few), and enlivening the franchise with a new hip urgency by casting the talented Daniel Craig in the leading man's role. Take a director Campbell, whose already helmed a Bond film ("GoldenEye"), and add the 21st century special effects and enormous budget to pull off one hell of a caper. The plot takes us to a prequel setting of Bond's emergence as a top-notch spy, first gaining "00" status and taking on his first solo mission...to spy on a head terrorist in Uganda. Going rogue with his investigation of an international terrorist plot, Bond follows his leads & instincts to the Bahamas and happens upon the dangerous Le Chiffre, banker to the world's terrorist cells. Engaging in a potent high-stakes poker game, Bond must coolly outlast his opponent to gain intelligence on the evil plot...all the while keep his cool with the hot love interest in mysterious British agent Vesper Lynd. Bond gets the girl, gets the bad guys, gets bad-ass with a sadistic streak of killing that puts an edge to the entire series in the past. And the main baddie Le Chiffre bleeds from his dead eye...yeah, you have to see it to understand, but it's still bad-ass. Bond has a stellar supporting cast here, with the talented likes of Judi Dench as the smart yet irascible M, Jeffrey Wright, Eva Green, and Giancarlo Giannini. Even our present company to go see the film with were friends of ours who had already seen the movie once and insisted that we all go to see it (them again)...and this was after the evening involved going to a sushi bar and meeting a man with six toes on each of his feet...another long story. That's how cool this movie was. This epic undertaking to rebirth a legendary figure in cinema goes off splendidly, and you can see in this exciting new sequel what makes movie-going so fun. I don't expect you to like this movie Mr. Bond, I expect you to die.

5 out of 5 stars

11/17/06 He Loves Me...He Loves Me Not

He Loves Me...He Loves Me Not (2002), directed by Laetitia Colombani

watched w/ Leslie; DVD rental (Netflix) @ home; suggested by Christina M. & Allyson

Going against her usually charming and innocent casting types in previous films, French star Audrey Tautou (of "Amelie" fame) goes a bit dark on this one, in a jealous obsessed stalker of sorts in this lovely thriller. Tautou plays Angelique, a young and troubled artist/student who falls deeply in lust with a married doctor, Loic. The only problem is that Loic does not see this "relationship" for what it is...or isn't, it gets a bit confusing. Angelique will stop at nothing to have her affections met with some sort of acknowledgement or satisfaction. The movie is basically split into two very different takes on the twisted romance...beginning with young Angelique's passionate and heartbroken rendition of an older married man playing havoc on her emotions. He never shows up for meetings together or shows affection, or never will leave his wife for her. Then, half way through the movie, we get a chance to view the same "relationship" through the eyes of Loic. The innocence is lost on him, as he sees the "Fatal Attraction" type attention by Angelique as a mysterious and dangerous stalker-esque endeavor. The mystery and malevolence now plays heavily on his own realtionship to his wife, and eventually his sanity. It is a twisted little piece of French romantic candy, and you should enjoy. Ain't she sweet? Enjoy the bittersweet aftertaste that this taut psychological thriller will leave on your lips...disturbingly enjoyable, much more than any dead rabbit in a stewing pot could ever be. I just don't think I will ever trust Amelie again.

3 out of 5 stars

11/16/06 The Notebook

The Notebook (2004), directed by Nick Cassavetes

watched solo; DVD (borrowed from Sarah) @ home; suggested by Sarah & Jason

Call me a sucker for listening to my sister on this one...but then again, call me a sucker for listening to my guy friends about this one too. This just seemed to be one of those romantic dramas that pulled at the heart-strings of every warm-blooded person who's seen it. Don't get me wrong, I'd love nothing more than to curl up with a pint of Haagen-Dazs in my bathrobe & slippers and cry my little eyes out like the next girl...but I wasn't expecting something phenomenal from a film that garnered acclaim and awards from the teeny-bopper set of the Teen Choice Awards' "Choice Date Movie" or MTV Movie Awards "Best On-Screen Kiss" nods. The film had a lot of power potential behind it's making, in adaptation from uber-successful sexy romantic novelist Nicholas Sparks (also came up with blockbuster romance adaptations in other movies I would care not to see "Message In A Bottle" and "A Walk To Remember"), and through the directing lens of uber-hip pedigree Nick Cassavetes (of "She's So Lovely" and "John Q"). I claim that Cassavetes is uber-hip due in large part to his parental units in John & Gena. John just so happened to be the forefront pioneer in American cinema verite (with such classics as "Faces" and "Shadows"), a style that did not seem to rub off to much on his son, but at least he picked up the knack for directing. Equally as talented is his actress mother Gena Rowlands (who Nick also directs here in one of the lead roles of the film as the elderly woman). The story is one that will undoubtedly make you well up with emotions as you see the beautiful tale begin to unfold before your eyes (if you can see past all the damn tears). I don't want to ruin the overall build-up of emotions that will take over you naturally (unless like millions, you've already heard about this incessantly from your younger sisters or your sensitive male friends)...but it is absolutely a touching and moving story to tell. The story begins with an elderly man (James Garner) reading and reminiscing a story to an elderly woman (Rowlands), whose memory is slipping away in the nursing home she now calls home. Most of the movie is told in retrospect through this man's narration, and tells of the meeting and eventual love that blossoms between two young lovers (Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams...could you ask for a hotter young couple?). The story takes the usually drastic and traumatic courses that most powerful love stories do, but with such bittersweet twists & turns along the way. Definitely a movie (and a novel) worth checking out...especially if you're in need of a good cry. You big sap. And it is a very hot kiss...in the ever-present torrential rains that seem to frame up any romantic encounters/reunions. Why don't we all just move to Seattle and fall in love?!

4 out of 5 stars

11/15/06 Bedazzled

Bedazzled (1967), directed by Stanley Donen

watched solo; VHS (borrowed from John S.) @ home

No, no and no. This is not the 2000 remake (although, if you would have read my little description a few lines above you would not have assumed such an idiotic thing) by Harold Ramis that posed Brendan (why am I always cast as a big dumb oaf?) Fraser and Elizabeth (I'm hot & British, but took Hugh Grant back so I'm a big dumb oaf as well) Hurley...but rather the lesser known (and apparently unavailble on DVD) original of the same name from 1967. There are oddities abound in this quirky British dose of jolly good fun, starting off with the director himself, Stanley Donen, who is much more well-known and abundance of musicals..."Singin' In The Rain," "Damn Yankees!," "Funny Face," "The Pajama Game," and "Seven Brides For Seven Sisters." Granted, I don't watch a lot of musicals, but from the titles of those movies, and any person's penchant for such silly schlock as musicals provide...has to have some sort of sense of wry humor in order to ever try and take themselves seriously. In this psychedlic 60's version of "Bedazzled" we see a young Dudley Moore serving as a short-order cook Stanley in a joint called Whimpy Burger, and he's infatuated with the pretty waitress Margaret. Never good at much, especially when it comes to talking to women, Stanley decides to end it all...but even that he can't do right. Saving him from his untimely demise is one dapper fellow named George Spiggott, AKA the Devil himself. George makes a pact with hapless Stanley to land him the girl of his (day)dreams only if he signs over his soul in the bargain. With this price gladly taken on, as he didn't have much use for it anyway, Stanley proceeds to have his 7 wishes in transforming Margaret into his ideal woman...except the catch. That catch being that he's visited by the 7 Deadly Sins (a la "A Christmas Carol" and the ghosts of Christmas' past) who sabotage and advise him against meddling with people's true beings. One of the more memorable (and most appealing to watch even on an old grainy VHS recording) is Raquel Welch (isn't she still hot and pushing 70?!) as Lilian Lust. Being that it is a much older, wiser and successful low-budget version of a pretty clever twist on the old "sell your soul to the devil" pact...I don't understand why it's not well-known or hailed over the 2000 crappy remake. Oh wait...could it be that Hollywood too sold its soul in order to make tons of our hard-earned money in watching these crappy films in return for their collective Oscar-winning souls? Perhaps.

3 out of 5 stars

11/14/06 Edmond

Edmond (2005), directed by Stuart Gordon

watched solo; DVD rental (Red Box) @ home

Do you ever mistakenly pick up a movie, or perhaps go to the theater to catch one, without truly realizing what it is you've just done? Say, you wanted to rent a film like "Dirty Dancing" with the logic that with a title like that (and you have no earthly idea about the plot at all...Ok, everyone must by now, but put yourself in 1987 and Patrick Swayze had yet to break hearts, unless you count "The Outsiders" or "Red Dawn"...Wolverines!) you were bound to learn a thing or two about the lambada from a yoga instructor or perhaps a naughty movie with some tittlating innuendo that the guys were gonna watch at the bachelor party. Well, were you so unfortunately mistaken! you had the pleasure of sitting through that ultimately cheesy and screaming-girl-fanatic inducing turd of a romantic drama...puke! Man, I can't even stomach the description of it. hey, nobody puts baby in the corner, and nobody is immune to choosing a movie that they thought they knew something about, only to have the truth sink in and their hopes & dreams crushed. I rented this one, seeing the name of David Mamet attached (thinking he was the director, and I love most of his directed/written films including "Glengarry Glen Ross," "The Untouchables," "The Spanish Prisoner," and "Oleanna" to name a few)...figuring it would be another one of his hard-hitting and gritty human dialogues that would be compelling and unnerving at the same time. It also had a cast of talented people, in what would seem to be a unique meshing of ensemble performances...including the titular William H. Macy, Julia Stiles, Joe Mantegna, Mena Suvari, and Bokeem Woodbine. What I got was a very distraught and disturbing tale of urban violence and commonplace horror that caught me off guard, but never really did much to prove to me it was a hard-hitting piece of work. Directed by the creative shock-horror guy Gordon ("Re-Animator"), the story is based off of the Mamet play, where unassuming businessman Edmond (Macy) heeds the ruminations of a fortune teller's Tarot card readings and begins to change his boring life. What he does next is taking that hazy advice to the extreme. Wanting nothing more than to experience the seedy underbelly of society and try in vain to "feel" something in his hollow existence...Edmond sabotages his marriage by walking out on his wife, then takes to the mean streets of the city to find solace in apathy. He visits bars, strip clubs, pawn shops, subways, low-budget theaters, churches and diners for someone to connect with an abandon (yet talk incessantly about his past). In this process, he begins to lose his identity and become a monster of his former self...resorting to racial slurs, outbursts, sexual deviancy and the ultimate violent act of murderous mayhem (in the form of Stiles' artsy but understanding waitress character) in getting his point across. All of his dark and twisted undertakings lead him on a downward spiral of epic proportions, and land him in his final place of jail...where once again he is forced into hellish confinement, sexual questioning and tempering of his violent nature. It's a very twisted tale, one that spirals around constantly, but never gets to the point. It's just a glorified way to watch violence in a steadily building manner. Granted, this artistic approach to a horror film where the lead character is at his wits' end and willing to take vigilante violence into his own philosophizing hands could have been done better...maybe "Falling Down" with Michael Douglas, but on an acid trip bender.

2 out of 5 stars

11/13/06 The Fast Runner (Atanarjuat)

The Fast Runner (Atanarjuat) (2001), directed by Zacharias Kunuk

watched solo; DVD rental (Netflix) @ home; suggested by Andrew A.

I'll be the first to admit that I have seen very few Inuit movies. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that there probably aren't too many Inuit movies out there altogether. That is again, a very uniinformed guess, but I'll take my chances. Honestly, how can the filmmaking equipment stand those frigid temperatures anyway? Wrapped in blubber or packed tightly inside of an igloo, I just think the camera would freeze over, and any decent footage would be lost and be forced to carry on in the tradition of word-of-mouth re-tellings of ancient times and the spirits that transcended all technology of the present. Such is the plot of this beautifully shot (I know that camera equipment can indeed last the frozen tundra, but will this movie review? probably not) and scripted tale of a nomadic Inuit tribe and some of their memorable members of the community. In essence, this is a cautionary tale of love, family, tradition, honor and sacrifice in their close-knit tribe. The two lead characters are brothers, and best friends, elder Amaqjuaq (the Strong One) and younger Atanarjuat (the Fast Runner). The two brothers are well-liked and well-respected within the tribe, but are still by no means without enemies. When the younger Atanarjuat begins romancing the good-natured Atuat, the tribe leader's son (and all around jerk) Oki is none too pleased. Seeing that he was promised her in marriage at a very young age, Oki will stop at nothing to denounce the feelings of Atuat & Atanarjuat, and bring shame on the two brothers. What Oki does not anticipate is the strong resistance that not only the stoic Amaqjuaq possesses, but the eager defiance that Atanarjuat displays in professing his feelings for Atuat. The heated debate over a promised hand in marriage boils over into a fight for manhood and pride within the tribe, which Atanarjuat wins. With his pride hurt, Oki and his lackeys threaten revenge at any cost on this happy union and the family of the brothers. In a flash of hated violence, Oki and his men storm the camp of the brothers' family's and kill Amaqjuaq and send young Atanarjuat fleeing naked (yes, completely naked in frigid conditions) on foot across the polar landscape. Escaping with his life, it is a long time before Atanarjuat can return home to his wife & brother's widow, and face Oki once again. It is a tumultuous tale of this ancient tribal community, and goes into touching details about how they live their everyday lives, feed their young, love one another and try to survive amongst harsh conditions. It's a very raw and realistic glimpse into a world that is so completely foreign and unknown to me. A thoroughly engaging film, you will find yourself completely awe-inspired by the cinematography and simplicity to the actors' re-telling of such a timeless battle of good vs. evil. It's as if you have been invited intimately into this wonderful Inuit tribe's life and had the privilege of getting to understand where they are coming from.

4 out of 5 stars

11/12/06 In Her Shoes

In Her Shoes (2005), directed by Curtis Hanson

watched w/ Leslie (partially); DVD (borrowed from parents) @ home & car ride (Raleigh, NC)

Now to a much more light-hearted and less inspiring type of movie-making. Playing off an oh-so-not-clever title, and I guess being adapted from some trite novel of similar name, this movie flops onto the screen with a little more potential than the average so-called "chick flick." And I'm not simply trying to pigeon-hole this bore-fest as nothing more than that stomach-churning genre of "chick flick"-ness, but it does little to keep the interest of the viewer in developing characters or relationships. You see, I think the audience is to not only get that these two sisters share little more in common than an obsessive love of shoes (get it), but that it takes a significant life-questioning moment for either of them to place themselves in the other's shoes (get it) to fully understand or appreciate the other as not only a sister but a human being. Lame. Unless you are a fan of high-priced fetish-inducing stiletto heels or over-bearing stress-inducing sister fights...well, I guess those can be morbidly intriguing, like a car wreck...than steer clear. I really though that having acclaimed director Hanson (of "L.A. Confidential," "8 Mile," and "Wonder Boys" fame), and even a producing credit from Ridley Scott himself...their would be something to trigger an emotion from the on-screen talent. And I mean an emotion that's not over-done far-fetched and nauseatingly nauseating. All three ladies on the screen (Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette and Shirley MacLaine) play it for too big of laughs or cries, never making me believe they care about each other...but hey that's what family is for right? Let's set the formulaic script so that you can get a taste of what's annoying, and a pinch of "I-can-see-it-coming-a-mile-away" plot jumps. OK, straight-laced boring sister Rose (Collette) tries to always reason with and knock some sense into care-free wildchild sister Maggie (Diaz), who wants nothing more than to loosen up her sister and party their cares away. When the sisters are forced to live together, late-night hi-jinks, dirty laundry & stealing of boyfriends lead the two to irreconcilable differences and a split from seeing one another. Maggie decides, with no real direction in her own life, that she will search for the long-lost grandmother that will unlock the key to her past and perhaps help her understand herself better. When Maggie and her grandmother (MacLaine) hit it off, she tries to reunite Rose with the two of them...leading to even more hi-jinks, hurt feelings and dark secrets galore! Will stuck-up Rose let down her hair and show some spirit? Will Maggie buckle down & get a job, or just keep shaking that ass in string bikini bottoms (don't get me wrong, a movie that can showcase Cameron Diaz behind shaking is ok in my book...but is that all she does anymore?)? I'm probably making it sound too exciting, because it's really not. I'm playing it up for yuks, because you won't find many here. I guess it's supposed to push the bounds of loyalty and family, and maybe introduce purpose and feelings to distant relatives...but I don't care. We all have our own family dysfunctions to work out in some way, shape or form...so who cares what these chicks with the same taste in Keds have to say about it anyway?

2 out of 5 stars

11/11/06 Flags Of Our Fathers

Flags Of Our Fathers (2006), directed by Clint Eastwood

watched w/ Dad; theater (Sandhills Cinema, Southern Pines, NC)

Being that it is a day of hallowed memory for those who have perished over the years of our country's existence, Veteran's Day, and one that always brings to mind for me personally the service that many in my own family have given through the military. My brother is still currently serving during a time in our world of great conflict, but my father had for my entire childhood served in the U.S. Army with great courage and leadership. I never got to know much of both of my grandfathers' service during World War II, but I have since heard stories and seen pictures of their experiences over there. With those moving memories, I tend to always be a bit inspired by a tale of true heroism in battle as is on display in many war drama motion pictures. My dad is also a big fan of war movies, and this is one that we both had talked about seeing for awhile, and I figured what better way to see it then together back home. Tales of heroism and courage are the key elements to this story, but with a very different and historic spin on them. What we have as the focus of the picture is none other than the content of yet another picture. A still picture in photography that has since seeped deeply into the American psyche as one of tremendous valor, patriotism and hope to the human spirit, and set its place in folklore as one of the most memorable images ever. That image that had engaged a nation and spawned many stories as to its origin is none other than the snapshot of six soldiers planting the American flag high atop Mt. Suribachi of the Japanese island of Iwo Jima during fierce battles of WWII. While many probably believed the photo to be a sign of sure victory, the actual raising of the flag happened early on in the battle more as a rallying cry to the troops who were in need of a morale boost. That fact is one of many myths that are debunked, yet still lovingly honored for its sheer significance, throughout this wonderful movie by esteemed actor/filmmaker Eastwood. What is most compelling about this film, is the honesty for which it portrays these national heroes who would return to the States after the taking of the photo in order to re-establish the American spirit and bring relevance to the issues of war back to the homeland far away. Even the taking of the now famous Pulitzer-Prize-winning photo was by chance, as an original smaller flag had already been placed in the same spot, with the hopes of a much larger and more noticeable symbol supplanting it by six unknown soldiers (5 Marines and one Navy Corpsman). That second raising was captured on film, and thus thrust into the international spotlight as a symbolic gesture, taken on by ordinary means. The six men would forever be linked together by one image, as three of the brave men would soon perish in the War...leaving the surviving members of the group to return home safe & sound and try to rationalize their role in being honored by the public. That had to be something that is so overwhelmingly difficult to do, and this film tries its best to follow the three surviving soldiers along that journey through Hell & back. That's another beautiful thing about this movie, not only is it a war movie, but it goes much further than that as it delves into the personal drama of the men and their lives. It is a conflict fought by thousands on battlfield soil, but also fought individually by men within their own souls. The movie is brilliantly captured in spirit by Eastwood, whose ambitious approach to the story will also come out again in 2007 as he has a second adaptation of the same story, yet told from the Japaneses perspective in the title of "Letters From Iwo Jima." Truly remarkable to think of two extraordinary films about the same moment, yet told from two varying points of view. The acting is superb here, and will no doubt cast some familiar Hollywood faces on a truly historic moment, like Ryan Phillippe and Paul Walker. Yet, let us remember the men that they are playing, who are the true veterans and heroes to honor: Sgt. Mike Strank, Pfc. Franklin Sousley, Cpl. Harlon Block, Pfc. Rene Gagnon, Pfc. Ira Hayes, and PhM. 2/c John "Doc" Bradley (www.iwojima.com).

5 out of 5 stars