Movie Review: Melinda and Melinda

Melinda and Melinda

They claim this film offers two perspectives on the same story: a depressing tragedy of a woman who can't keep her life together and a comedy featuring the same woman. The juxtaposed in the same film did not work. I'd like to see where the humor came in. I didn't find it.

Again with the stupid rampant cheating and that's supposed to be entertaining? Everybody cheats in this universe. Maybe if the cast was exactly the same just playing different roles.

Huge Will Ferrell fan? He has a smallish part. Oh and don't forget Woody Allen. Look in Bandon and Coos bay for the DVD.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0378947/

Can't find it on Amazon. Weird.

Movie Review: Cold Mountain

Cold Mountain

Renée Zellweger won an Oscar for her amazing performance as Ruby Thewes. Jude Law deserved one as well. Whereas Nicole Kidman portrayal as Ada felt predictable. As did the whole plot.

Inevitable end to a tragic tale. War is hell not just for the fighters but the family left behind. Seems like they could have cut out a lot of the beginning and get to the meat of the story and more of Zellweger's character.

I'm glad I saw it, but could have not and still been fine.Look in Coos Bay,North Bend, Coquille, Bandon, Myrtle Point and Dora for the DVD and Lakeside for the VHS tape.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0159365/

Buy it on Amazon
Cold Mountain (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
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Movie Review: American Gangster

American Gangster

I suppose I admire some level of a man who can sort out the business of being a gangster so well by observing the reality and working around it. Denzel Washington plays the lead with Russell Crowe as the cop who finds a way to bring him down.

Based on a true story about corrupt cops and the Harlem gangsters who pay them off and work the system. Seems like people in a lawless lifestyle never really get it. They're just a pissed off mood away from gettin shot in in the head. Some put on nice suits and pretend they're something different from just an asshole hurting other assholes.

Look in Coos Bay, Myrtle Point and Dora for the DVD.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0765429/

Buy it on Amazon
American Gangster (2-Disc Unrated Extended Edition)
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Movie Review: Cold Creek Manor

Cold Creek Manor

I like Dennis Quaid. He can entertain me now and then. He's sorta the cut rate Harrison Ford. This film also features Sharon Stone as Quaid's wife.

It's a typical horror and I think they intended it to have more super natural aspects but they never fully developed. It might have made things more interesting.

City folk move to a small town into a home sold in foreclosure. The previous owner shows up and for some stupid reason these people let him into their lives. Townsfolk treat them poorly and it just goes south.

It's good advice where the previous owner tells the city folk they need to learn about the native critters. As a plot point it made the story really dumb. Too many character have too many flaws that we're never sure of the focus of this film.

Look in Lakeside and North Bend for the DVD.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0331468/

Buy it on Amazon
Cold Creek Manor
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Movie Review: Code 46

Code 46

Tim Robbins stars as an investigator in a near future world where people cannot travel without the permission of the mysterious Sphinx. We're never really told why this world separates the haves from the have nots so clearly, other than the have nots live "outside" because they can't get "cover."

It seems to be some kind of insurance and you have to use a paper passport to move around the world. A code 46 means that people who have similar genetic make-ups can't have children together. Robbins character hooks up with the woman he's investigating and she gets knocked up.

The woman played by Samantha Morton, tries to help people get around the system and travel where they want. So much is packed into this film I think multiple viewings might help sort it through.

I know I say it every time I come across a film like this, but I just love my whole plan for reviewing library DVDs alphabetically. I hadn't heard of this film and I'm so glad I got to see it. Wow, there's a VHS copy in Lakeside and a DVD in Bandon.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0345061/

Buy it on Amazon
Code 46
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Stuff and Nonsense

I don't keep track of the word count of reviews. It's maybe 100-200 average though. At over 270 posts that makes 27,000 words. A novella for sure.

Ironic to have this many posts considering I hate writing "formal" reviews. Nothin formal about this blog! I want it to be casual and fun. I want to warn about crap cinema and bring up obscure gems that didn't get much advertising or buzz.

I do seem to have very eclectic tastes. I am not swayed by stars, effects or budgets. Though any one of those aspects can push a film up or down a category.

I saw three movies last night. One so bad I just switched it off, one bad enough to run in fast forward most of the way through and one really interesting science fiction drama that I'll review tomrrow.

I haven't done a recap in a really long time. I'm not sure if I should do them or not. Tomorrow's review I should probably reference several other films that it reminds me of. Maybe that'll be a fun thing to do. We'll see.

OK, no review today, just my musings. Please comment if you like or dislike something. As I said before, I am not doing the ads here for money making purposes. I want to get a couple copies of things to replace at the library, plus pay for some flyers printing and the like. I will take it down if readers have complaints.

Movie Review: Closer

Closer

This love quadrangle staring Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Julia Roberts and Clive Owen reminds me how messed up some relationships get. Portman outdid herself. I mistook her for someone I didn't know.

Though the performances held some quality, I just didn't care about the lives of these characters. Everyone cheated and acted like dogs. They pretended not to here adn there but in the end, every one of them made a mess of their love life.

I despise self delusion perpetuated as "love." If you want to be with someone else, break up with the person you're with now. If you cannot, and you don't have an understanding, you're a jerk. These people are jerks.

The only reason to get it is if you like these actors and you just want to see them. Look in Dora and Bandon for the DVD.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0376541/

Buy it on Amazon

Closer (Superbit Edition)
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Movie Review: 10 questions for the Dalai Lama

10 questions for the Dalai Lama

I just watched this today and while I think it's profoundly interesting, I found it difficult to understand the Dalai Lama speak. Murry read the subtitles to me and that helped.

Some issues with discussing the poor of India being happier than the wealthy really struck me as interesting. I just heard Madonna say the same thing about her experiences in Africa.

While I never had a wealthy lifestyle myself, I did watch the dissatisfaction in my sister's children. They behaved as if their parents owed them their tiniest whim. The very same kids went to their Jewish aunt's home and behaved with reverence during a short bible reading and lighting of the menorah.

I think that taught me that it isn't the poverty or the people, but about the values of people around them. The Dalai Lama tries to share his values of religious tolerance and peace. Spend some time with him and see what you think.

Find the DVD in Bandon.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0819354/

Buy it on Amazon
10 Questions for the Dalai Lama
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Movie Review: Clueless

Clueless

Ok, so I am this film because I missed getting this written yesterday. My bad. ;) I'll write another review tonight. Honest.

Now to the film. I just loved Alicia Silverstone as the seemingly ditz Cher. In truth, She's quite clever and smart, but she found her social niche as little miss clueless. It's easy to get around in her world if people think she's dumb.

There's way more than meets the projected audience's eye. Teens will enjoy it but I think so will adults. It's about how we interact as social beings.

Spend a couple hours with Cher and see if she can make you laugh. They even made a TV series, but I don't think it was very good. Check out the VHS of this film in North Bend or Coos Bay and check Lakeside for the special edition DVD.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112697/

Buy it on Amazon!

Clueless (Special Whatever! Edition)
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Movie Review: Catch and Release

Catch and Release

I could have sworn I wrote a review of this film, but I guess I just looked something up on it. Jennifer Garner has an interesting personality. I'm a super big fan of Alias because she was this kick ass spy chick in that. Sadly, she's whiny and messed up in this film.

I'll give her that the character just lost the man she was about to marry, but still. I don't think we get a sense that she really cared about him. I do blame the poor directing and lame script.

Writer/director Susannah Grant didn't give us any reason to like anyone in this film. The men are sexist jerks and the women are judgmental witches. Even the hippy chick has no sense of the cruelty she's enacting. She just gets in everyone's face with how they should eat and their "energy."

If you can't wait for this to slow up on TV, head on out to Dora, Myrtle Point, Powers and North Bend for the DVD.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0395495/

Buy it on Amazon
Catch and Release
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Documentary Review: A Class Divided

A Class Divided

I've seen this before on television and wanted to watch it all the way through again. A third grade teacher divides her class by eye color and the first day tells the students with blue eyes they're special. Brown eyed kids lose all privileges. On the second day, she reverses it and the brown eyes are on top.

After the two days, the teacher talks about the experience. We get to see them as adults speak of the profound effect it had on them. How they began to understand the idea of prejudice once they had a small taste of it.

The teacher, Jane Elliott, went on to show adults the power of this exercise. Please find a copy somewhere of this outstanding Frontline report.

People think that helping race relations is a complicated difficult task. Elliott shows dramatically how that may not be so. I remember as a child, making a choice to never judge people on the color of their skin. That was the way I was judged and didn't like it. If it was wrong for them to do it to me, it was also wrong to do it myself.

A class divided is at SWOCC.

Since there were no specific pages for this I'll just provide the link to the book on Amazon.

Buy this Book on Amazon
A Class Divided, Then and Now, Expanded Edition

Movie Review: The Wraith

The Wraith

"We know our constipational rights." OH MY GOD. Murry grabbed this film off the shelf in North Bend just to see a young Charlie Sheen. Please, just run the other way.

The script is stupid and the acting rivals a middle school production. Sheen comes back to earth to fight a bunch of hoodlums who cut him up and left him for dead. I guess he's got aliens on his side. I can't quite figure out the story.

He's got a fast futuristic/alien car to race the bad guys. Are you following this? I sure can't.

North Bend and Bandon have the DVD.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092240/

Buy it on Amazon
The Wraith
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Documentary Review: Bush Family Fortunes

Bush Family Fortunes

I picked this film with glee hoping to learn something about the president that I didn't already know. Alas, no revelations of any note. No new insight into how the family made its' fortunes and how W came to be in power.

The filmmaker tells us he could only make this documentary with the BBC because "American Media" kowtow to the corporations. Really? So that's why Michael Moore couldn't get his movies made?

Like a few other films about the George W. Bush presidency and family, it's almost bad enough to be a puff piece for the republicans. It's like, well if they really couldn't find that much, there must not be anything to write about. It's more a whine than intriguing evidence of corruption and graft.

Bandon has a copy of the DVD.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0435612/

Buy it on Amazon

Bush Family Fortunes - The Best Democracy Money Can Buy

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Movie Review: The Chronicles of Narnia. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

The Chronicles of Narnia. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

I'd say it's about two weeks since we viewed this film. I watch tons of things at least a movie a day, I think it's a great sign that I still remember the film. I hadn't' read the books as a child, but I've seen elements of it elsewhere. I knew the story.

Four children are shipped off to safer territory during World War II. While lurking about the home of the man they're staying with, they discover a magical land inside a large wardrobe closet.

While there they fulfill a prophecy of being the ones who save the land from an evil ice queen. Lots of talking animals and mythological creatures. A war breaks out and the children lead armies into battle. Effects seemed adequate and the story spoke of betrayal, but ultimate honor.

It dragged a bit while we were waiting for them to get to the point. I'd say it's a good all around family film. Not as scary as some Harry Potter, but about the same caliber.

Coos Bay, Bandon and Myrtle Point have copies of this DVD.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363771/

Buy it on Amazon

The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Widescreen Edition)
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Movie Review: Chain Reaction

Chain Reaction

Keanu Reeves plays a scientist inventor guy who tries to develop clean energy but runs afoul of some mysterious figures who try and blow up his work. Silly plots aside, there ARE films where the implausible works. This ain't one of them.

I found Morgan Freeman forgettable in his role, but Rachel Weisz looks young and cute as Ms. scientist lady. Lets watch stuff blow up, woo. I got better things to do, thanks.

VHS users can check in Dora and North Bend and find the DVD in Myrtle Point and Bandon.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115857/

Buy it at Amazon
Chain Reaction