Movie Review: Elizabethtown

Elizabethtown

This film suffers from a need for a new title. And had the film ended after the first half, I would give it a mere good rating. But the last half of the film made me fall in love with it. And who knew Orlando Bloom really could act?

A young man fails spectacularly at his job. Just as he's trying to kill himself, his sister calls and says their dad died. She insists he go take care of the arrangements. Dad died while visiting his quirky family back in Kentucky.

On the plane a strange stewardess befriends him and gives him directions. Kirsten Dunst pulls off stalker oddball pretty well. She writes down her phone numbers for him in case he gets lost and needs help.

He does get lost but he eventually finds his way to the home of his uncle where a huge crowd has gathered to mourn his beloved father. There's some family drama where dad's family mentions how suspicious of his mom they all were.

Returning to his hotel for the night he's subjected to a floor full of reveling wedding guests including the bride and groom. So he calls his stewardess stalker. They chat all night and meet in the morning.

She tries to help him deal with all his family stuff and make him find a way to start grieving for his father. His mother and sister join him and dad's family and they have a memorial gathering inside the hotel. His mother tap dances, his cousin's band plays and they set off the sprinklers with a flaming bird. But wait.. there's more.

Quirky stewardess lady friend creates a roadmap and insists our failure, non grieving son hero see some of the country. He takes dad's remains and spreads them among various sites along the way. Finally beginning to grieve his profound loss.

Don't wait until you're loved ones are gone before you explore who they really are. Love them now, take a trip NOW!

Bandon, Dora and North Bend have copies of this delightful DVD.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0368709/

Rush out for the DVD from Amazon: Elizabethtown (Widescreen Edition)

Movie Review: Edmond

Edmond

I consider William H. Macy one of the greatest actors alive today. Though I wanted to figure out what this story meant, I just turned away fairly early. I didn't fast forward or stop watching, I did lose interest.

For reasons we cannot grasp, a businessman goes off the rails and leaves his wife just after they have sex. He tells her he's terribly unhappy with her. He wanders the streets trying to hook up with prostitutes. But disliking all the expense and arguing over price. Eventually he hooks up with a waitress.

Edmond kept looking for something that we could never discern. All we knew is no one gave it to him. He ends up in prison for slashing the waitress to death. The surreal way it happened doesn't make us care. We aren't invested in any "real" emotion.

Please avoid this. Not even Macy can save it. It's based on a David Mamet play and feels like a theater performance.

Bandon has the DVD.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443496/

Look for additional information on Amazon: Edmond

Movie Review: Children of a Lesser God

Children of a Lesser God

Somewhat flakey teacher William Hurt starts a new job at a school for deaf children. He's hired to teach kids to speak. While standing in line for lunch, he notices a deaf woman throwing around pots and pans yelling in sign language. He becomes smitten with the passionate woman played by curly dark haired fireball Marlee Matlin.

The woman once went to the school and now works as their custodian. Hurt's character tries to make friends but she resents his work and he doesn't understand why she wont let him teach her to speak and read lips. She tries to drive him away but they end up falling in love.

They constantly clash over their two worlds. After they move in together for a while, the woman's resentments drive her to run away.

As a person with a disability I can say they portray the culture differences fairly well. Someone within the deaf community would have to speak to if they got their issues correct, I just mean the "feel" of the conflict seemed accurate. Perhaps a bit exaggerated, but that's a Hollywood thing, not a disabled thing.

Coos Bay and North Bend have the DVD copies of this film. Sad to say anyone from the outlying libraries will have to find their way into town to pick them up. At least you can drop them off at your local library.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090830/

Pick up this DVD from Amazon: Children of a Lesser God

Jim Carrey and Dr. Seuss Soso Films

Dr. Seuss' Horton hears a Who!

I have no attachment to this story as I didn't read the book as a child. I found it scary and dull. I've not always found the comedy stylings of Jim Carrey or Steve Carell particularly entertaining either. I like them sometimes, but a little goes a long LONG way.

Elephant Horton hears voices on a speck on a tiny flower. Nobody believes him but he's determined to chase down the flower and save the people on it.

Listen for mean ole Kangaroo voiced by Carol Burnett. The character scared me with her mean gripes. Too many lessons to keep straight. Should we pay close attention to our children? Or listen to our friends when they tell us something? What's the moral?

Look in Bandon, Coos Bay, Coquille, Myrtle Point and North Bend for the DVD.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0451079/

Amazon: Horton Hears a Who (Widescreen and Full-Screen Single-Disc Edition)

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas

I liked the back story of the Grinch but like Horton Hears a Who, too much scary.for my taste. Also, I didn't like the over cartoonized hair, houses and cars. If you're going to make a cartoon, make a cartoon. Why go to all that trouble to build those funky sets.

A bitter old green creatures lives up in a mountain with his um dog, we'll call it a dog. He scares the townsfolk below. In this version, we see a story of why the Grinch might be so grinchy, but it isn't enough to save this convoluted live action version.

Really, I like the Chuck Jones cartoon from the 70s. If you want a story for the kiddies, get that one.

Jim Carrey version in VHS and DVD in both Bandon and Coos Bay. Look for another DVD copy in Lakeside. Chuck Jones version on DVD in Bandon and North Bend with various copies around the system on VHS.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0170016/

Amazon: Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas (Deluxe Edition)

Movie Review: Religulous

Religulous

Controversy thy name is Bill Maher. This "mockumentary"asks questions about deeply held belief in the bible and world religions. Though he concentrates on United States Politics, he does go to Israel and the Vatican.

He tosses around some statistics on people who "don't believe" and I'm a little skeptical of the numbers. While it may be people who take surveys may say they choose no faith, that doesn't mean they all agree how that should look. He argues that such people make up 16 percent of the population and yet have no lobby in Washington.

I do love Maher. I think he mocks some folks when it's just as easy to let them alone. Though I do think he brings up lots of really good points. I question everything. I appreciate thoughtful balanced discussion of all topics. I do admire director Larry Charles for leaving in when people stormed off during a discussion.

Look for this thought provoking film in Bandon, Coos Bay and North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0815241/

Buy the DVD from Amazon: Religulous

Movie Review: Good Will Hunting

Good Will Hunting

I enjoy clever folks like the lead in this film. Though he never went to a university of higher learning he demonstrated genius level math skills. Matt Damon stars and wrote this great flick. He and his buddy Ben Affleck garnered an Oscar for the touching script.

An angry young man works as a janitor at a university where a professor puts a difficult math problem on a blackboard. Will Hunting sees it and solves it. The professor chases him off and is about to erase his writing until he realizes he wrote out the correct answer.

He offers to teach the kid how to use his talents, but first, he needs to find a way for him to deal with his anger. Along comes ramshackle therapy guy Robin Williams. The interaction between the curmudgeon and his young client show the value of a little self awareness.

Hunting falls for a pretty medical student brought charmingly to screen by Minnie Driver. These young men, Damon and Affleck show an amazing grasp of complex relationships. They keenly light up the deep joys and sorrows life brings to us all. The math professor and his therapist buddy lived a history not unlike Hunting and his best friend live.

They explore brilliance of the mind on the level of mathematics, but also on emotional awareness. We aren't even aware they're teaching us to live our own life, rather than follow a path dictated to us by others.

Watch this film. Savor it's nuances. Look in North Bend for the DVD and Bandon, Dora and Powers for the VHS.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119217/

Buy this DVD from Amazon: Good Will Hunting (Miramax Collector's Series)

Movie Review: Edgar Rice Burroughs' At the Earth's Core

Edgar Rice Burroughs' At the Earth's Core

In a plot stolen from Jules Vern we see Doug McClure and Peter Cushing travel inside the ground. There they discover a mysterious world and fight monsters and bad guys in oder to save a beautiful princess.

If the rubber suited weird creatures don't make you laugh, the terrible acting will. Better execution on the plot mighta pushed it into a Soso category. Maybe had them be space explorers going to another planet and I might have considered it more interesting.

Bandon has a copy of this DVD.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074157/

Amazon: At the Earth's Core

Movie Review: A Dangerous Man

A Dangerous Man:
Lawrence After Arabia

Ralph Fiennes stars as Lawrence. He tries valiantly to preserve the deals he attempted to make with his Arab friends. They want independence and the British Empire wants to maintain all their strongholds. Though this plan didn't work out, it did help to erode the power of the United Kingdom.

We see his tenuous relationships start to break and falter when he cannot live up to what he promised. Ultimately returning home to self destruction and the burden of failure.

Library: Bandon & North Bend

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099356/

Amazon: A Dangerous Man

Movie Review: Die Another Day

Die Another Day

Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry hook up to try and save the world. You know, I have seen this film and it's a typical wizz bang Bond Flick, but I can't for the life of me remember the plot. I suppose it's a bad reviewer thing to admit, but it's true. Lets bump it down to Soso.

Library: Bandon, Dora & North Bend

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0246460/

Amazon: Die Another Day (James Bond Two-Disc Ultimate Edition)

Really Bad Ed Wood Films

Jail Bait

Since I reviewed the film about Edward D. Wood Jr., on Monday, I thought today would be nice to do a couple films from his collection. I haven't seen many but both films had a similar element of awful.

A bad guy draws the son of a famous plastic surgeon into a life of crime. During a robbery the son kills a security guard and shoots at a woman witness. She gets away and tells the police.

The bad guy kidnaps the son and forces his father to change his face so he can escape. I wont give away the plot twist, lets just say people get crossed and double crossed.

With some decent actors the plot had some value, but Wood just rushes every shot and sets scenes like a high school biology film. We, the audience, should lose ourselves in the world presented to us. Not here. We find ourselves laughing and scratching our heads.

Library: As part of the Ed Wood Box Set. Bandon & North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047127/

Amazon: The Ed Wood Box (Glen or Glenda / Jail Bait / Bride of the Monster / Plan 9 from Outer Space / Night of the Ghouls / The Haunted World of Ed Wood)

Plan 9 from Outer Space

It's been a while since I've seen this one. I remember it involved vampires, zombies and aliens. Bela Lugosi plays what they listed as a "ghoul man." Only he died partway through the film.

Apparently, the aliens come to earth to stop humans from developing a bomb. They create a few zombies to aid them. Look for the cardboard tombstones and nonsensical scenery changes as Wood apparently ran out of budget for sets. Then toward the end of the film a faith based agenda develops.

According to his biopic I reviewed on Monday, Wood got funding from a church and promised to make a movie for them. Never one for re-shoots, he leaves in mistakes and bad acting.

Unlike other dogs, the entertainment value here lays in how terrible it all is. Grab a bunch of friends and some popcorn and look at a couple terrible films.

Library: As part of the Ed Wood Box Set. Bandon & North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052077/

Amazon: The Ed Wood Box (Glen or Glenda / Jail Bait / Bride of the Monster / Plan 9 from Outer Space / Night of the Ghouls / The Haunted World of Ed Wood)

Die Hard List

These are the four films of the Die Hard Series. All watchable except the second one. Feel free to skip that altogether if you like.

I decided to just list the Amazon link for the entire collection here:
Die Hard - The Ultimate Collection (Die Hard / Die Hard 2 / Die Hard with a Vengeance / Live Free or Die Hard Two-Disc Special Editions)

Die Hard

Though I tend to not like as much pointless violence, this film kept me wondering how they were going to deal with all the plot points. It's pure fun. Bruce Willis plays a down on his luck cop who tries to save his wife and an office full of her co-workers when thieves take them hostage.

He enlists the aid of a beat cop played charmingly by Reginald VelJohnson. At first the cop doesn't think anything is going on until Willis throws a body out a window. Bloody and battered, one man against several inspired me to sit up and cheer on cowboy John McClane.

Library: North Bend. VHS: Bandon, Coquille & Dora.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095016/

Die Hard 2

This film didn't hold up to the intrigue and charm of the first. Plus they stuck our guy in a stupid plot at an airport. His wife's plane is threatened and he has to save her once again.

I liked elements of it, but not enough to rate it above a Soso flick. You can even skip it and watch the third film without losing any plot points.

Library:DVD; Bandon.

IMDB:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099423/

Die Hard with a Vengeance

Now this film recaptured the charm and intrigue of the first. It added one of the best characters played by Samuel L. Jackson. Some guys related to the first film baddies that John McClane killed go after him.

They force him to walk down the street in Harlem with a sign insulting black people. Jackson's character, Zeus Carver, tries to save Willis and gets caught up in the plot. The white cop and black business owner argue, but eventually must cooperate to prevent a terrorist attack on a school.

Just when you think it's all about revenge, just keep watching. Lots of edge of your seat action and unexpected twists.

Library: VHS only; Coquille & Coos Bay.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112864/

Live Free or Die Hard

This most recent installment brings the series to a younger generation with an Internet related plot. A terrorist organization hires several hackers to plot methods for shutting down electrical grids and other strategic networks.

Our hero, John McClane, captures one of the hackers and saves him from assassins. Bringing him to FBI headquarters, just as the various phone and electrical grids are faultering. The kid and cop attempt to save the United States.

Library: Coos Bay, Dora, Lakeside & Myrtle Point.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0337978/

Soso Tuesday

Days of Thunder

Big car racing fans might enjoy this. Really it just reminded me of Top Gun only with cars instead of planes. Tom Cruise, Robert Duvall and Nicole Kidman star. Cruise does a good cocky jerk, but I'd rather see something else.

Library: DVD; Myrtle Point. VHS; Dora & North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099371/

Amazon: Days of Thunder

Divine secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

I'm told the novel explians so much of the back story the film fails to bridge. Pick that up instead. Sandra Bullock plays the daughter with a poor relationship with her mother. Ellen Burstyn stars as mom.

We're flashed back into the past so we can see what happened with the relationship and it involves depression, but it's so vauge and confusing we don't realize that's what's going on. Ashley Judd takes on the mom role in her younger days.

I think the actors did good jobs with the material they had, but either key elements were left on the cutting room floor or they chose to leave out what's really going on.

Library: DVD; Coos Bay, Coquille & Myrtle Point. VHS; Bandon, Coquille, Dora, Lakeside & Powers.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0279778/

Amazon: Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (Widescreen Edition)

Dr. T and the Women

I'm guessing with all these comedy actresses they expected this film to be funny. They were wrong. Richard Gere plays a popular gynecologist who's wife goes nuts. He's trying to make sense of his world and all these women come along trying to get him into bed.

He takes up with Helen Hunt's character golf instructor Bree who doesn't seem to want much from him. His daughter decides to go on with her wedding despite calling upon her former lesbian lover to be her maid of honor.

I searched for a plot within this film, but alas, none arrived. I guess it's just a week in the life of one man. I found no reason to care.

Library: Bandon.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0205271/

Amazon: Dr. T & The Women

Mallrats

I've said before I'm not a big fan of Kevin Smith's, but someone said this was a good one of his. They were so wrong. The story tries to be sweet so I gave it a higher than dog rating, but it's gross. I shouldn't be surprised as that's typical of him.

Jason Lee and Jeremy London play guys trying to get back their girlfriends after they've been dumped. They head on out to the mall to watch one girl be in TV dating contest her father runs.

As with most of Smith's films, I suppose this would appeal to teen boys. Sadly, the library doesn't have a copy of the only film of his I do like. Look for Dogma in stores. If you have a copy you wish to donate, leave me a comment and I'll get it to the library.

Library: Bandon.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113749/

Amazon: Mallrats (Collector's Edition)

Movie Review: Ed Wood

Ed Wood

Never one to walk away from quirky roles, Johnny Depp stars as the impatient and arguably "worst director in the world." Mr. Wood's sincere interest in filmmaking drove him to direct an interesting series of not even C series stories with convoluted plots and down and out actors.

Many consider his 1959 epic, Plan 9 from Outer Space, the worst film ever made. As interpreted by director Tim Burton, that film only got made piecing together funding, actors and plot from diametrically opposing interests. Wood had to content with his star dying mid-filming He became convinced someone he knew looked like the actor from the nose up and cast him in the role. We can tell when this character does scenes as he holds up his arm across his lower face.

One claim to Wood's fame is befriending veteran vampire actor Bela Lugosi. Martin Landau won an Oscar for playing the aging horror star. Taking on a convincing accent and drug addiction, Landau makes us pity the nearly forgotten wretched soul. Depp also shines as the dippy Wood.

I've only seen a couple of the original Wood films. They're barely watchable, but have a strange charm. Like watching your child's play at school. You want to laugh at how bad it is, but the effort is so sincere.

Pick up a copy of this DVD in Coos Bay. It's so good I'm surprised that's the only place it's available.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109707/

Buy this fine DVD from Amazon: Ed Wood (Special Edition)

Movie Review: The Visitor

The Visitor

Richard Jenkins plays uninspired college professor Walter Vale who finds squatters in his New York City apartment. The illegal immigrant couple, Tarek Khalil and Zainab, rented the apartment unaware it belonged to someone else.

Vale feels guilty about tossing them on the street and asks them to stay until they can find another place. Tarek plays drums and Zainab sells jewelry on the street. The dowdy professor ends up charmed by the couple, especially the friendly drummer.

Returning to an empty apartment, Vale taps a few beats on Tarek's drum and gets "caught." Tarek grins and shows the stodgy white guy some beats.

Music lightens Vales heart and he begins to hang out with Tarek. They travel to a park and play with a group of drummers. On their way back to Zainab, the subway gate catches on something and Tarek gets arrested. As an illegal immigrant he's placed in detention.

The professor tries to get him a lawyer and help him out, but the lawyer seems quite distracted with other clients. Zainab moves out and Tarek's mother stops by looking for him. Vale offers to let her stay in her son's room and they become friends as well.

These actors made me feel like I could just phone up and they'd be there. Their obvious and subtle flaws kept my eyes on screen and the exotic musical sounds drew me into their stories. Most of the times I've seen New York City on TV and film, it seemed dark, not here. The city gleamed with vibrant streets and green parks.

Please pick up this great character driven drama. Look for the DVD in Bandon, Coos Bay, Coquille and North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0857191/

Buy the DVD from Amazon: The Visitor

Double Dog Day

Edgar Allan Poe's Tell-tale Heart
&

Wes Craven's Chiller

This combination had nothing in common other than I guess they're both horror films. The Poe story follows an obsessive man who likes the neighbor girl across the way.He watches her from his window, being all stalkery. When hetries to date her and she tries to be polite but she's just not into him.

While they're out on a date, he introduces her to his handsome friend. The Girl and friend make eyes at each other and the dopey suitor doesn't catch on. When he sees them getting it on he becomes enraged and lures his friend to his house and kills him.

His guilt makes him hear the beating of the dead man's heart, driving him insane. It's an okay story, I just thought the poor quality of the production and I think it went on a bit long. I think I got the right IMDB listing. I don't usually look at the titles, choosing to rely on the library for data, but they didn't give much detail about this one.

IMDB : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056565/

Wes Craven's Chiller, I found nearly unwatchable. I got the plot within seconds and the bad acting and stupid story urged me to skip forward. Sure it's got Paul Sorvino, but everyone else couldn't find any star power with the Hubble telescope.

A rich young man gets brought back to life after he's been cryogenically preserved for many years. Doctors cure whatever disease killed him, but he's not himself. He's evil okay. His mother denies that he's anything but her little angel boy. Blah blah who cares.

If you decide to get this DVD, just watch the Poe story.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088912/

Library: Bandon, Coos Bay, Coquille, Lakeside & Myrtle Point.

Amazon: Wes Craven's Chiller & Edgar Allen Poe's The Tell Tale Heart Horror (Double Feature)