2001 Movies
OSCARS Won/Nominated
IMDB Top 250
IMDB Top 250
OSCARS
Best Visual Effects
Best Original Score |
A.I. Artificial Intelligence
Dir: Steven Spielberg Stars: Haley Joel Osment, Jude Law, Frances O'Connor 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die Spielberg was in cahoots with the masterful Stanley Kubrick to bring this gem to the big screen. The movie has its detractors because of the saccharine Spielbergian aspects of the film. I think it is just what the movie needed. The Kubrickian nihilism shines through with a lot of the film, but Spielberg brings the dreamlike whimsy that makes the movie the full package. The parental abandonment, the flesh fair, the search for the blue fairy...it is all so Kubrick. Rogue City, Gigolo Joe, and the finale are so Spielberg...and I love it all!!! A DVD |
Along Came a Spider
Dir: Lee Tamahori Stars: Morgan Freeman, Monica Potter Hollywood desperately wanted Morgan Freeman to portray James Patterson's Alex Cross. First of all...he was too old to do so. This sophomore effort is a bit better than the disastrous Kiss the Girls, but it still doesn't work. I am not a huge fan of the Patterson books because they are insanely formulaic. This film suffers from the same formulaic feel. It is as run-of-the-mill kidnapping thriller as you can get. Freeman was great as the grizzled, disenfranchised detective in Seven, but he doesn't work as Cross. C- DVD |
OSCARS
Best Original Screenplay
Best Cinematography Best Art Direction Best Sound Best Foreign Film |
Amelie
Dir: Jean-Pierre Jeunet Stars: Audrey Tatou, Mathieu Kassovitz 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die IMDB #85 Audrey Tatou is wonderful in this live-action fairytale of a movie. It follows an introverted girl who finds endless joy in helping others in kind of a guardian angel kind of way. It is sweet and simple and whimsical. It never really elevates itself to higher art...but it settles for a fun lark. B DVD |
American Pie 2
Dir: J.B. Rogers Stars: Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott, Chris Klein, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Alyson Hannigan This is a very funny, very natural sequel to the huge comedy hit. It is the first summer after our cast's first year in college, and everyone is facing their own growing pains. Stifler is still the best character of the franchise and throws his personality monkey wrench into every story. Jim finds out Nadia still wants him and he enlists Michelle's help. Kevin can't get over his breakup with Vicky. Oz is trying to have his long distance relationship with Heather. Shitbreak is still obsessing over Stifler's Mom. Its all funny, and it is nice to spend 2 hours with this great collection of characters. B DVD |
The Animal
Dir: Luke Greenfield Stars: Rob Schneider, Colleen Haskell Yeah...this is a Rob Schneider movie where he gets a multiple-organ transplant from various animals and he awakens to find he has the traits of said animals. It also stars a winner of Survivor. This is one of those, "so bad it's good" kinds of movies...which is Schneider's bread & butter. To watch him act like an idiot for 90 minutes is so bad...but you will laugh in spite of yourself because some of the physical comedy and jokes sort of work. In that regard its a LITTLE successful. C |
The Anniversary Party
Dir: Alan Cumming & Jennifer Jason Leigh Stars: Alan Cumming, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kevin Kline This is essentially a stage play, since it is not much more than a bunch of talented people standing around talking...but it is good at that. Cumming & Leigh play a celebrity couple hosting a big dinner party. Cumming is a famous author who has been allowed to film his own screenplay but failed to hire his own wife whose career is failing. It is soap-opera level drama but it is juicy. B- DVD |
OSCARS
|
A Beautiful Mind
Dir: Ron Howard Stars: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Paul Bettany IMDB #142 Crowe is arguably better here as John Nash than he was as Maximus in Gladiator. He brings such vulnerability, likability, and pitifulness that brings an exquisite experience to the film. So often in cinema, genius is across a fine line from insanity...and this film handles that dynamic very well and the entire film is as much of a puzzle as it seems to have been in Nobel Prize winner Nash's head. Melodrama rears its ugly head a bit too often in the film and some of Howard's flourishes seemed a bit too showy and unnatural...but this is a great film. B+ DVD |
OSCARS
|
Black Hawk Down
Dir: Ridley Scott Stars: Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore, Eric Bana With the masterful Ridley Scott at the helm, this movie is a marvel of technical filmmaking. The setpieces, the sound design, the camerawork...it all makes you feel like you are definitely on the ground with these soldiers in Somalia. The problem I have always had with this movie is that it is populated with great actors who portray faceless, lifeless characters. You can barely tell them apart, and therefore they are all simple "Soldier". There is no development and therefore no emotional investment in the danger they are facing. B- |
Blow
Dir: Ted Demme Stars: Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Paul Reubens I have heard this movie compared to Goodfellas many times because that rare storytelling style of Scorsese's masterpiece is certainly mimicked her...and it is almost as good. This is outstanding entertainment. It is one of my favorite Depp performances as George Jung, one of the most successful drug smugglers in history. Also, Paul Reubens steals the show as Depp's middle man. The story is expertly paced, gritty, fun, and doesn't fall too hard into the overnight rich cliches. The father-son dynamic between Depp and Liotta is great. I only fault the film for Cruz...again...I HATE when she speaks english. It is so unnatural and takes me right out of the movie. She is the biggest glaring shortcoming of an otherwise perfect film. A- DVD |
OSCARS
Best Actress
|
Bridget Jones's Diary
Dir: Sharon Maguire Stars: Rene Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant Zellweger is insanely charming as Bridget Jones, but this romantic comedy just feels saccharine and pointless when everything is all said and done. It is as if Firth and Grant have to play these shallow, hollow, British stereotypes so they are uninteresting. One is "Aww Shucks" and one is charm your pants off. Meh...it is just not my cup of Earl Grey Tea. B- Bluray |
Cats & Dogs
Dir: Lawrence Guterman Voices: Alec Baldwin, Tobey Maguire, Jeff Goldblum Just like my fellow cinephile & friend JJ, I often can't stand digitally talking animals...because it is too often terrible and pulls me right out of the movie. This movie is right in that category. The story is a bit fish in a barrel, cats being superior intelligences to dogs and out for pet domination, and there is that odd digital mouth moving...so it just isnt enjoyable. If they just did voiceover a la Homeward Bound, I could get on board a bit easier. C |
The Curse of the Jade Scorpion
Dir: Woody Allen Stars: Woody Allen, Helen Hunt, David Ogden Stiers, Dan Aykroyd This is definitely one of the weakest Allen films of late as it has no interest in his usual philosophy of life and relationships quirkiness to it and has devolved into a silly premise of a man and woman who become hypnotized to either become master thieves or fall in love with each other. You have to give Allen a bit of credit for finding a way of having us believe these beautiful ingenues would still fall for him. It has a few quirky laughs, but it is ultimately pointless with odd tones. C DVD |
Don't Say a Word
Dir: Gary Fleder Stars: Michael Douglas, Sean Bean, Brittany Murphy It isn't scary or clever. A psychiatrist's daughter is kidnapped because the kidnapper wants a secret out of a psych patient so he can track down the people who double-crossed him in a jewel robbery a decade ago...and they think Michael Douglas is the man to get it out of her. Who really cares!!! D+ |
Enemy at the Gates
Dir: Jean-Jacques Annaud Stars: Jude Law, Joseph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, Ed Harris This is wonderful entertainment. On the Russian front of WWII, a young soldier is discovered to be an incredible marksman and becomes a fearsome, successful sniper. His infamy precedes him so the Nazis send their own star sniper to take him out. It is gorgeously shot and designed...and the action is almost unbearably tense. It is so thrilling. B+ DVD |
Evolution
Dir: Ivan Reitman Stars: David Duchovny, Seann William Scott, Orlando Jones, Julianne Moore The pedigree is there, and Duchovny being the lead is perfect, and I tried so hard to LOVE this movie to the point of almost forcing it...but it doesn't quite get past mediocre. The premise where a cellular life form gets to Earth on a meteorite and goes through millions of years of evolution in a matter of days is great. It provides a race against time element and the joy of seeing increasingly more advanced and creative life forms on the screen. But the tone is a bit odd where the actors seem to be winking at the camera and saying how funny and clever they all are. The effects are cool and there are definitely some laughs, but it ultimately didn't win me over the way I needed it to. B- DVD |
The Fast and the Furious
Dir: Rob Cohen Stars: Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster Finally, I have started to tackle this franchise...and I kind of get it. The testosterone is pumping through this movie in an insane way. The cars, the sounds, the women...it is a boy's wet dream. The action is exciting and engaging. Paul Walker is actually pretty charismatic in his role but I just don't get Vin Diesel. Like at ALL. Vin Diesel has the look but he has no acting chops whatsoever and I don't look forward to seeing him in the years to come in these films. B- |
From Hell
Dir: The Hughes Brothers Stars: Johnny Depp, Heather Graham, Ian Holm Johnny Depp just can't help himself. He can't just play it straight, or even slightly quirky...he has to go complete batshit to the films ultimate detriment. This is a victorian-set gothic horror with a police constable tracking down Jack the Ripper. With the production design and atmosphere...that should be enough. But it wasn't...Depp has to get clairvoyant powers whilst smoking opium so its weirder. I don't care if that was the graphic novel...I just felt it was unnecessary. Sleepy Hollow is an example as to where Depp's schtick works. He was a bit quirky...but he ultimately played it straight and it worked incredibly well. B- DVD |
OSCARS
|
Gosford Park
Dir: Robert Altman Stars: Maggie Smith, Ryan Phillipe, Michael Gambon, Kristen Scott Thomas 1932 British dinner party. The elite are having dinner upstairs, and the servants are downstairs. When there is a murder...the class dynamics, the uppercrust manners, and the dry Brit humor comes to the forefront and it is all so perfect. Each actor in the sprawling cast has their moments to shine and Robert Altman perfectly handles his cast and the geography if the mansion. It isn't laugh-out-loud funny...but it is clever and fun to the extreme. A- DVD |
Hannibal
Dir: Ridley Scott Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Julianne Moore, Gary Oldman Hannibal Lecter was such a nightmare because he was incarcerated. To watch him manipulate, frighten, and shock from behind plate glass was one of the greatest events in the history of cinema. To put that character on the lam and shifting the storytelling tone from psychological thriller to cat & mouse slasher/horror just doesn't work. Hopkins is still fun and you know it is well-directed with Scott behind the camera, but this movie is not scary...it is just gross at times. There is a bit of intrigue with Oldman's Mason Verger and his obsession with Lecter but it doesn't pay off. C+ DVD |
OSCARS
Best Art Direction
Best Costume Design Best Original Score |
Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone
Dir: Chris Columbus Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Richard Harris, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane To start a franchise with such precision and expertise is a wonderful thing. The Harry Potter universe is something to behold, and the balance between the newcomer kids and the thespian teachers is one that makes everything works perfectly. These are characters being introduced to the world of magic by elder witches and wizards that have been doing this a long time and have intense histories. On the same hand, the kid actors are getting their first taste of Hollywood surrounded by people who have dozens of awards and accolades over decades of wonderful work. It is a bit childish...but so was Willy Wonka and The Wizard of Oz. A- DVD |
Heartbreakers
Dir: David Mirkin Stars: Jennifer Love Hewett, Sigourney Weaver, Gene Hackman, Ray Liotta I guess the plot of a mother/daughter con team where the mother marries wealthy men only to have the daughter seduce them into infidelity is ok...but the problem with a movie like this is that there is NO ONE to root for or even sympathize with. This is a "comedy" that has very few laughs and has such detestable people that you want everyone either to get horrible comeuppance or the movie to end as quickly as possible. D |
Hearts in Atlantis
Dir: Scott Hicks Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Anton Yelchin, Hope Davis Stephen King is notorious for giving every Tom, Dick, & Harry the rights to adapt his stories...and some of them just shouldn't. This is a simple story about young kids, befriending an elderly man who turns out to have some special powers. It is so damn boring though. It is slow, prodding, and when reveals come, we find that we have ceased to care. D+ |
Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back
Dir: Kevin Smith Voices: Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Will Ferrell, Shannon Elizabeth, Chris Rock, Ben Affleck, Jason Lee This is the ultimate inside joke for Kevin Smith fans. If you don't have an encyclopedic knowledge and appreciation for Kevin Smith, then this movie will go right over your head. Subjectively, it is an A- of appreciation for me. Objectively, I will say it is a B. The rapid fire cameos, the revisit of old View Askewniverse characters, and most of the jokes are all spot on. The good thing is...Jason Mewes definitely carries the movie and Smith's screenplay is as strong as we know he can make it. B DVD |
Joe Dirt
Dir: Dennie Gordon Stars: David Spade, Brittany Daniel, Dennis Miller, Kid Rock When a movie is so dumb as Joe Dirt is, it can either be horrible or near brilliant. This is one of the most infinitely watchable comedies because it is episodic and David Spade is just so much fun in this ridiculous role. It is like Dumb & Dumber, where you know it is idiotic and pointless, but you can't help but laugh at it since the jokes somehow all land. "Life's a Garden, Dig It!" B+ DVD |
Jurassic Park III
Dir: Joe Johnston Stars: Sam Neill, William H. Macy, Tea Leoni After the disappointing The Lost World, Universal realized that people only come to Jurassic Park for one thing...and that is dinos and action. This movie takes no time setting up a paper-thin plot as a way to get Dr. Alan Grant and a cast of characters back to the island, where they are immediately in peril. In a quick 90 minutes, this movie gives us everything we want with no bloat. Very Solid. B+ DVD |
A Knight's Tale
Dir: Brian Helgeland Stars: Heath Ledger, Rufus Sewell, Shannyn Sossamon I like the idea of this movie better than the actual movie. It takes a simple story of a peasant squire posing as a Knight with a knack for jousting. Then the filmmakers jacked the movie up with an anachronistic soundtrack. It looks good and sounds good...but this is a movie for little girls to fawn over Ledger. It is almost like a comic book....pretty colors and cliches that provides a modicum of entertainment. C+ |
K-PAX
Dir: Iain Softley Stars: Kevin Spacey, Jeff Bridges, Mary McCormack Kevin Spacey is in a mental institution, and he claims to be an alien being named PROT and he is visiting from his planet K-PAX. He travels to and from K-PAX via lightbeams. Bridges' psychiatrist isn't buying it, but plkays into the suspected delusion to try and help his patient. It is certainly intriguing, but with a movie where both sides are given validity and gets your fantasy flag flying, it better stick the landing or it was all for naught. It doesn't quite do that...but the journey and the performances are decent enough. B- DVD |
Legally Blonde
Dir: Robert Luketic Voices: Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, Selma Blair, Victor Garber This movie lives and dies on its star, Reese Witherspoon...and she gives us a star-making turn which catapulted her to A-list stardom. This is a movie where we love her but don't really buy the story she's in. As the comic plot beats come, it is all predictable and silly...but she brings such exuberance and perkiness to the proceedings that it makes the entire thing worthwhile. B- DVD |
Life as a House
Dir: Irwin Winkler Stars: Kevin Kline, Kristen Scott Thomas, Hayden Christensen, Jena Malone One of the movies that tug at the heartstrings the most. This is a story about a man diagnosed with terminal cancer that decides to have his estranged teenage son help him build his dream house before he dies. It is the hight of melodrama, but Kevin Kline brings such vibrance to the role that it becomes dramedy. The father/son story is enough and would make a fine movie, but the coming-of-age story of the son really elevates everything. This is a rich, emotional experience. It is one of those movies that leave you inspired and fulfilled. A- DVD |
OSCARS
|
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Dir: Peter Jackson Stars: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellan, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Liv Tyler, Sean Astin 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die IMDB #11 This is where it all began. The genesis of possibly the greatest fantasy epic of all time. I doubt I will see a better realized franchise in my lifetime. The production design, costumes, visual effects, makeup, music, and sound design is some of the greatest we have ever seen. Peter Jackson really created something astonishing with this first movie...which is essentially a movie about a handful of people walking 1/3 of the way to a destination. Every actor is superb and believable, engrossing us into this world completely. This is one of my favorite films ever. A Bluray |
The Majestic
Dir: Frank Darabont Stars: Jim Carrey, Martin Landau, Laurie Holden Frank Darabont is a master working in this period piece genre, as seen with his Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. Here he tells the story of a blacklisted Hollywood screenwriter who becomes an amnesiac after an accident and is then mistaken for a long lost prodigal son of a small town he settles in. It is like a Normal Rockwell painting come to life and I just saoked it all up. It also really shows how McCarthyism really soured an otherwise beautiful time in our history. "Majestic" is a good word to describe the movie as well. B+ DVD |
OSCARS
Best Original Screenplay
Best Editing |
Memento
Dir: Christopher Nolan Stars: Guy Pearce, Joe Napolitano, Carrie-Ann Moss 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die IMDB #50 Never before have I seen such a confusing, impossible to understand premise of a movie pulled of so perfectly. The idea about having a revenge thriller follow a character with short-term memory loss, told in reverse, in order to have the audience experience the same "amnesia" as the protagonist...is INSANE. But Christopher Nolan is a genius, and never more so than with this film, and he makes it an exciting, brian-spinning, fascinating tale that I never wanted to end. Every time a new scene begun, I thought to myself that I couldn't believe that this movie is constructed as precisely as it was. How this movie does not have a screenplay and an editing Oscar is beyond me. A+ |
OSCARS
|
Monsters, Inc.
Dir: Pete Doctor Voices: John Goodman, Billy Crystal To talk about a Pixar movie's beauty and originality is almost boring now. This movie is just as gorgeous and creative as any other Pixar film...but I am at the point where I gauge Pixar, as well as other animated films, as to how they speak to the adult audience. Toy Story 3, Inside Out and WALL-E are great examples of of perfect animation where it entertains the kids and moves the adults. Monsters, Inc. doesn't quite do that. This is more of a film for kids...but it is certainly enjoyable. B DVD |
OSCARS
|
Moulin Rouge
Dir: Baz Luhrmann Stars: Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die Roger Ebert's one-sentence description of this movie explains it better than I could. It is like being stuck on an elevator with the circus. This movie is essentially Shakespeare in Love with the writer and the ingenue he is obsessed with...but the kinetic energy and enthusiasm is so unhinged and off the wall that it makes this film a glorious and unique experience. Do yourself a favor and watch the Elephant Love Medley on youtube...it really shows you what this movie is capable of. A- DVD |
OSCARS
Best Director
|
Mulholland Drive
Dir: David Lynch Stars: Naomi Watts, Laura Harring 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die I just don't think David Lynch is for me. He creates these nightmarish plotless movies (except for the wonderful Blue Velvet) that are weird for the sake of weird. I hate weird for the sake of weird, and this film is just meandering beauty with nothing to really grasp on to. When there is no plot and no direction and virtually no understanding...it is virtually impossible to enjoy yourself or be entertained. I felt the same way with Eraserhead. Incredibly weird and dreamlike...that fizzles to pointlessness. C |
The Mummy Returns
Dir: Stephen Sommers Stars: Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Oded Fehr. I love the first The Mummy movie. It has a swashbuckling fervor that is rarely seen and rarely as well done since the Indiana Jones films. So I was extremely excited to re-visit the adventures of Rick O'Connell and Imhotep....but they pretty much ruined it. The special effects, the green-screen, and the shoehorned plot involving The Rock is all so absurd that the magic has all but petered out. The Mummy is not a creature to sic on another creature. He is the main event so to make him the back-burner villain just doesn't work at all. C DVD |
Not Another Teen Movie
Dir: Joel Gallen Stars: Chris Evans, Chyler Leigh, Jamie Pressly, Eric Christen Olsen Great spoof movies are few and far-between these days because most genres worthy of spoofing have been spoofed in ways it is impossible to top. The high-school comedy is ripe for spoofing but it is a difficult one because the original movies being lampooned are funny to begin with. Still, this movie handles it well and points out most of the tropes and cliches perfectly. It isn't Zucker-level precision, but it will certainly make you laugh...and that is good because the Seltzer/Friedman spoofs are so terrible. B DVD |
O
Dir: Tim Blake Nelson Stars: Mekhi Pfifer, Julia Stiles, Josh Hartnett Shakespeare's Othello is a tough narrative to adapt to high school. The seriousness and vindictiveness feels odd and gross in the high school setting. It is the same as MacBeth...the mature nature of the plot doesn't quite translate to younger protagonists/antagonists. That all being said...I think this film pulls off the Othello story as well as they could. Julia Stiles can do this stuff in her sleep and Pfifer is excellent. I never thought Hartnett was good enough to play "Iago", one of the greatest villains ever, but I guess he is ok. B- DVD |
Ocean's Eleven
Dir: Steven Soderbergh Stars: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia, Don Cheadle, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan A movie like this was primed for disaster. But it is so damn COOL that it wound up being brilliant. The screenplay is the strongest part of the film, because it gives each and every one of the characters their chance to shine. Soderbergh's direction, Clooney & Pitt's report, and the overall style of this heist just oozes the smarminess of old vegas and rat pack-era swagger. It is all about being clever and never relies on action, broad comedy, or extreme plot devices. It is great stuff. A- DVD |
The One
Dir: James Wong Stars: Jet Li, Carla Gugino, Delroy Lindo So the multiverse is a thing. So that means there are many versions of Jet Li. One of those versions is travelling between universes, killing other versions of himself, and growing stranger in the process. Yeah...it is as stupid as it sounds. D+ |
Osmosis Jones
Dir: The Farrelly Brothers Stars: Chris Rock, Laurence Fishburne, David Hyde Pierce, Bill Murray It is a shame that Pixar didn't get a hold of this idea because I think they would have pulled it off much better. The Farrelly Brothers are just the wrong people to direct this hybrid animation film about a white blood cell out to destroy a virus while being assisted by a cold pill...all inside Bill Murray's body. The animation is weak, the comedy isn't memorable, and the cleverness is never surprising or worthwhile. The voices are well cast but this either needed to be a better animated movie or a darker/funnier Farrelly Brothers movie. It is neither and it is weak. C+ DVD |
OSCARS
|
Pearl Harbor
Dir: Michael Bay Stars: Ben Affleck, Kate Beckinsale, Josh Hartnett, Cuba Gooding, Jr. Nothing is ever going to be Titanic. That was a lighting-in-a-bottle situation if there ever was one. Michael Bay's blatant attempt to make a new Titanic by forcing a love-triangle subplot into one of the most iconic wartime events in our history is more of a huge shame than a disaster. I am sure that clever editing on this 3 hour behemoth would yield a solid war film running around 2 hours. The force-fed romance ruins every single second that it is on screen. The war footage and action is astonishingly well done. It all comes together as a bloated, uneven mess. C |
Planet of the Apes
Dir: Tim Burton Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Michael Clarke Duncan, Helena Bonham Carter, Paul Giamatti Technical proficiency is not enough to make sci-fi action epics work. Tim Burton's direction, the design, and the makeup effects are through the roof in this remake. The story and Wahlberg's performance sinks the ship. And that twist ending...my god that is awful. It is a shame because you see so much talent and money on the screen, and Tim Roth REALLY shines as General Thade, but you will find yourself thinking the entire endeavor is stupid and corny. C+ DVD |
The Princess Diaries
Dir: Garry Marshall Stars: Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, Hector Elizondo Such an obvious story, but what else should we expect from a Disney princess movie? The role of a loser girl who is told she is the heir apparent to the throne of fictional country Genovia is a great fit for the perky Anne Hathaway. And can we get a better choice of the Queen/Grandmother than Julie Andrews? All the tropes are here...the friendship strain, the romance, the societal pressure and criticism. It is all familiar and predictable to a fault. But it is Disney...so its going to work. B- |
Rat Race
Dir: Jerry Zucker Voices: John Cleese, Jon Lovitz, Rowan Atkinson, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Amy Smart, Breckin Meyer, Whoopi Goldberg I have never seen It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, but I hear it inspired this movie about a colorful cask of wacky characters racing across the countryside to win a jackpot. That original movie is like 4-hours long...luckily Rat Race is a 90 minute romp, harmless and satisfying. John Cleese's subplots about what he and his billionaire buds are willing to bet on are the best parts of the film, but there are some ingenious set-ups and payoffs as well. B DVD |
Rock Star
Dir: Stephen Herek Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Jennifer Aniston With a title as bland as Rock Star, it isn't a surprise that the movie is equally bland. Wahlberg plays a loser who is the lead vocalist of a Steel Dragons cover band. The Steel Dragons are heavy metal royalty in this universe, and in a horrible screenwriting coincidence, the day he is fired by his tribute band is the day the actual band wants him as their lead singer. It looks good, sounds good, and Wahlberg is fine...but it is a huge pile of hard-rocking meh. C+ |
OSCARS
Best Original Screenplay
|
The Royal Tenenbaums
Dir: Wes Anderson Stars: Gene Hackman, Angelica Huston, Ben Stiller, Gwenyth Paltrow, Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Bill Murray, Danny Glover 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die This was my first foray into the enigmatic world of Wes Anderson, and it was wonderful. He has a way of making his films dreamlike in composition which bring forth a sense of humanity and realism that is second to none. Most of the accolades went to Hackman for this film, and he IS great, but you must recognize that the rest of the cast all have incredible chances to shine. Stiller's interaction with Hackman at the denouement is so perfect. B+ DVD |
Rush Hour 2
Dir: Brett Ratner Stars: Jackie Chan, Christ Tucker, Zhang Ziyi, Roselyn Sanchez It is funny because there is a lot of racist, inappropriate humor here...but I like it. Putting Tucker and Chan together in a buddy comedy just seemed to work. It shines the best when Chan shows how clueless Tucker's character is...it always makes me laugh. Not only that...but the filmmakers give Chan plenty of chances to do his action stunts and really elevate the film. It is a lot of fun...and it wasn't ruined until the 3rd movie that nobody wanted. B DVD |
Save the Last Dance
Dir: Thomas Carter Stars: Julia Stiles, Sean Patrick Thomas So black guy has eyes for white girl, who can dance, and that's how she can get accepted into the black community. Ugh...When stakes are this low...it is hard to really care. This just felt a bit silly and melodramatic so it never really works that well...but the two leads have great chemistry so that really goes a long way. C+ |
Saving Silverman
Dir: Dennis Dugan Stars: Jason Biggs, Amanda Peet, Jack Black, Steve Zahn I have a hard and fast rule and I have NEVER been proved wrong. ANY movie Steve Zahn is in is better because of his inclusion. It is the same here. He is so funny that he elevates this incredibly dumb comedy about two friends out to break up their other friend's new relationship because the new girlfriend is a horrible bitch. The Biggs/Peet scenes are just ok, and Jack Black is once again Jack Black...but there is such lunacy brought to the table by Zahn that it makes me really laugh. My wife and I quote this movie incessantly...so that is something. B DVD |
Scary Movie 2
Dir: Keenan Ivory Wayans Stars: Anna Faris, Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Chris Elliot, Tim Curry, David Cross. This is actually a very funny movie...but it is horribly rushed and so poorly edited that I actually felt like I was missing something. The entire thing mostly spoofs The Haunting, which is ripe for spoofing...but I feel like every single scene is half the length it should be, that the cuts to the next scene feel like they arrive halfway through a conversation or event that may explain things better. It is hard to explain, but it bothers me a lot because all the other Scary Movie films feel like complete, professional films. It is as if the Wayans family couldn't wait to put this behind them. C DVD |
The Score
Dir: Frank Oz Stars: Robert DeNiro, Edward Norton, Marlon Brando The total is definitely not as good as the sum of its parts. This is a master thief thriller with 3 generations of arguably the greatest actors of their generations. Brando is the elder bankroller, DeNiro is the thief, Norton is the rookie with his foot in the door. Brando is too old and a caricature of himself. DeNiro can do this in his sleep. Norton is so off the wall portraying a thief posing as a simpleton janitor that I couldn't decide if he is brilliant or ridiculous. I like the story and the cleverness of the heist...so I give this movie a pass. B DVD |
Serendipity
Dir: Peter Chelsom Stars: John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale, Jeremy Piven, Bridget Moynahan I really dig this romantic comedy, and it is strange because the two subjects of the romance are apart for most of the movie. It is a great fantasy where boy meets girl of his dreams, who is a slave to the idea of fate, so she writes her number in a random used book and says that if fate wants them to be together, the book will find its way into the boys hands. It is painful to watch Cusack go through his life with that splinter in the back of his mind, but it is also makes my heart sing. It really plays on the fantasy and the dream of love that could have been and love that can be again in a great way. B DVD |
Shallow Hal
Dir: The Farrelly Brothers Stars: Jack Black, Gwenyth Paltrow, Jason Alexander This movie is vintage Farrelly brothers, and it certainly has a handful of laughs...but I don't really like the central conceit because it just isn't handled correctly. So Tony Robbins shazams Jack Black so when he sees women, he sees their inner beauty expressed as outer beauty. Fine. It gives us the gorgeous Paltrow as Black sees her instead of the fat suit version she actually is. But the movie has the audacity to say that every single ugly person is beautiful on the inside and every single beautiful person is ugly on the inside. It rubs me the wrong way and makes a huge imbalance in the comedy. Make it so he is often wrong about what he sees, but only part of the time. The jokes are always he likes ugly girls because they look hot. How about rejecting a hot girl because he thinks they are ugly. You know what I mean? It is so one sided. C DVD |
OSCARS
|
Shrek
Dir: Andrew Adamson Voices: Mike Meyers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow This is the movie that brought Dreamworks Animation to the forefront and showed us that they are Pixar's more subversive cousin. This movie is pitch perfect, with every voice actor doing a superb job, beautiful animation, themes that would make Disney proud and jealous, and a naughtiness and satirical attitude that makes it so enjoyable to the adult audience. It is rapid-fire with its skewering of Disney and fairy tales, but there is the necessary heart so it all comes together wonderfully. A DVD |
Sugar & Spice
Dir: Francine McDougall Stars: Marley Shelton, Marla Sokoloff, James Marsden, Mena Suvari I think this had to be R-rated, because it lends itself to an R-rating. Head cheerleader gets knocked up by football captain, they are kicked out of their homes, they move in together, can't afford it, cheerleader recruits the squad to rob a bank, criminal helps if his daughter can be on the squad. That's all fine and it has some fun parts, but it is like the gun can't get out of the holster. No reason this movie shouldn't be R-rated and made as a HARSH black comedy. C+ |
Swordfish
Dir: Dominic Sena Obviously a child of The Matrix, this is a pretty ridiculous action thriller. Travolta is hamming it up as essentially Rhas Al'Ghul. Halle Berry is there literally for a paycheck to show her tits. Hugh Jackman is cashing in on his newfound Wolverine fame. The story is ludicrous whereby a master hacker is out to hack the hack of hacks for his daughter and Travolta is masterminding it on behalf of some weird, unexplained, shadow government. It is entertaining a bit for its absurdity and it is pretty damn slick looking. C+ DVD |
Thirteen Ghosts
Dir: Steve Beck Stars: Tony Shaloub, Shannon Elizabeth, Matthew Lillard Arthur and his two children, Kathy and Bobby, inherit his Uncle Cyrus's estate: a glass house that serves as a prison to 12 ghosts. When the family, accompanied by Bobby's Nanny and an attorney, enter the house they find themselves trapped inside an evil machine "designed by the devil and powered by the dead" to open the Eye of Hell. Aided by Dennis, a ghost hunter, and his rival Kalina, a ghost rights activist out to set the ghosts free, the group must do what they can to get out of the house alive. This is directly from IMDB....and yes...the movie is as stupid as it sounds. D |
OSCARS
Best Original Song
|
Vanilla Sky
Dir: Cameron Crowe Stars: Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Kurt Russell I am a HUGE fan of Abres Los Ojos, the Spanish language original version of this film...but I may even like this movie a bit more. It is Tom Cruise at his dramatic best and it may be the only movie where Cruz acts in English and it isn't grating. The puzzle, the dreamlike fantasy, and the harsh drama is just so hypnotic. The ending is vague and up for interpretation, but you get enough that your brain explodes with the possibilities. I love this film. A- DVD |
The Wedding Planner
Dir: Adam Shankman Stars: Jennifer Lopez, Matthew McConaughey, Bridgette Wilson I guess this movie is harmless. Guys suck and will fall in love with their wedding planner if they look like J-Lo. My problem here is who are you supposed to root for? Do women WANT J-Lo to break up McConaughey's wedding? Do women want McConaughey, a man who is willing to leave his fiancee for hired help, to fall for them? It is a strange dynamic and it is hard to root for anyone...because iany way you slice it...someone is going to get screwed over and others are going to look like assholes. C+ |
Wet Hot American Summer
Dir: David Wain Stars: Paul Rudd, Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler, Jeneane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Elizabeth Smart, Christopher Meloni, Ken Marino David Wain is a unique comic voice...because he makes movies that skirt full-blown spoof in a way that is just a lot of fun. Just like Mel Brooks used to do, he makes spoofy movies that stand alone with a story that makes it a well-thought out story. This movie is absolutely looney tunes, but you will fall in love with this cast of characters almost immediately. This is infinitely re-watchable and fun from beginning to end. B |
Zoolander
Dir: Ben Stiller Stars: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell, Christine Taylor, Milla Jovovich Essentially Dumb & Dumber set in the fashion industry. It is exceedingly stupid...but again...it is one of those movies that you HAVE to give an endorsement simply because of the laughs it provides. No matter how embarrassed you are at laughing and how stupid you know it is...if you are laughing...it is good. B DVD |