Real Movie Review-Movie Reviews, Movie Quotes, Movie Trivia

Director: Russell Mulcahy

Starring: Milla Jovich, Oded Fehr, Iain Glen, Jason O’Mara, Mike Epps, Ali Larter

Movies based on video games suck. From the Street Fighter/Mortal Kombat junk to the overrated Tomb Raider series, they all suck. So, I settled into my seat, with my face locked in a steely, determined grimace to watch my first Resident Evil movie, fully expecting it to suck. Since I was not a reviewer when the others came out, they somehow stayed off my my viewing list. Anyway, as I said, I was settled into my seat and had my pencil out, ready to give this latest piece of video game crap a scathing review, filled with clever insults and insightful observations. So, I watched and waited for the bullets to fire out of my pen (ok, keyboard, but a pen is a better image). I waited. And I waited. About halfway through I noticed something strange. This movie didn’t suck. When everything else is boiled away, this is a zombie movie. The most common problem with zombie movies is that they become monotonous and repetitive. This movie uses a variety of innovative action scenes and some quality direction to keep the feature fresh. The story is simple, but effective enough for an action feature, and for the same reason I managed to overlook characters struggling for survival who apparently take time every morning to apply perfect make-up, and I overlooked hordes of zombies with super-human strength who can set up ambushes but are stymied indefinitely by a chain link fence. The action is good and the story and characters stop just short of eye-rolling.

Milla Jovich is gorgeous (and damn nimble), as she recreates the supernaturally-powered fighting machine, Alice. The movie shifts between her story and that of an advanced research compound run by Dr. Issacs (Iain Glen), as well as a convoy of well-organized survivors, led by Claire (Ali Larter), helped by soldiers L.J (Mike Epps) and Carlos (Oded Fehr). All of these characters are trying to survive in world where massive hordes of zombies hunt for flesh (and somehow stay alive, when there is virtually none to eat, it seems)and the few remaining humans hunt for resources and an answer to their dilemma. There is a great scene with some pretty unusual crows and some beautiful desert camera work, as well as a stunning set of a buried Las Vegas. I didn’t like the obsession with cigarettes that many of the characters seem to share, which I thought was overdone and out of place. Did they pick up a few bucks by doing this? I wonder.

The action crowd and the video game fans will love this one, and it is a decent action movie. Sure, there are huge gaps in logic, and overblown characters and scenes, but fans of this genre don’t mind overlooking a few of these if they are rewarded with original and exciting action sequences. Don’t expect Shakespeare or Die Hard, but this a decent action effort.

Rendition (2007)*** 1/2

Director: Gavin Hood

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Omar Metwally, Jake Gyllenhaal, Zineb Oukach, Moa Khouas, J.K. Simmons, Meryl Streep, Peter Saarsgard, Alan Arkin, Yigal Naor.

Halloween is coming but years have passed since I had to check my closet for monsters before bed and even longer since I wondered whether werewolves really came out in the park at night. Writer Kelly Sane and South African director, Gavin hood have given grown-ups a real monster to fear and it’s an American government policy called extraordinary rendition, whereby people can be detained without due process and clandestinely sent to countries to be tortured. I don’t know about you, but that scares me more than werewolves. This heavy-handed film uses some big-name stars to offer an opinion on this issue. There are a lot of characters, here, and not enough time to really give them much depth. The acting is good and the story is compelling, though it is emotionally manipulative and rather clichéd. I would have liked a deeper story with fewer characters but this is still an entertaining and slightly informative couple of hours.

Reese Witherspoon is a young mother named Isabella, who is living an idyllic life when her husband, Anwar (Omar Metwally), an Egyptian citizen, is secretly detained by the CIA, upon his return to the US from South Africa, as a suspect in a bombing. He is quickly shuffled out of the country by a power Senator, played by Meryl Streep and is soon being tortured under the observation of a CIA analyst played by Jake Gyllenhaal. Meanwhile, Isabella is contacting a college friend, Alan (Peter Saarsgard), who is now an aide to Senator Hawkins (Alan Arkin), to help her find out what has happened and get her husband back. You got all that? Good, but we are not finished yet. There is also another story involving Abasi Fawal, played by Yigal Naor, a local secret police leader, who is supervising Anwar’s interrogation, which seems to mostly consist of determining the voltage used. Abasi’s daughter has fallen in love with a young student and gone missing and we also follow their relationship. Do you think we have enough characters here? What about the waiter who served them tea? Doesn’t he have story, too? The ending is rather predictable and a key character’s motivation is not convincing to me.

Overly complex with a feel slightly like Babel, though it is more cliched and has a different message for us about how to promote world peace. I have been pretty critical in my review here, but this is still a pretty good movie and does handle its large cast fairly smoothly, though character development was necessarily cut short. I would have rather seen some characters cut. Overall, still a pretty good effort that will please those with an interest in the subject.

Director: Rod Lurie

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Samuel L. Jackson, Kathryn Morris, Dakota Goyo, Alan Alda,

Where did this movie come from? When I went to see it, I had heard nothing. No previews, no commercials, nothing. Thus, having no expectations, this small touching film, was a pleasant surprise. Director, Rod Lurie, who until a few years ago, was a – gasp!- critic, could have moved things along a little faster and perhaps cut down the subplots a little, but this is still an enjoyable film, with an Oscar-worthy performance from Samuel L. Jackson. The story is strong and there are some good characters, particularly in small roles. The project is apparently a true story (sort of) based on a Los Angeles Times article.

Josh Hartnett is Erik, a struggling sports reporter who comes across a homeless man with a tale to tell. It seems the indigent man, known around the neighborhood as ‘Champ’, whom Erik saves from the cruel attentions of some young idiots, was once a semi-successful boxer named ‘Battling Bob’ Satterfield who had been rated 3rd in the world. Erik sets out to tell the man’s story, for both of their benefit. Look for David Paymer and Teri Hatcher in small roles. Alan Alda has a very good supporting role as well, as Erik’s boss, Metz.

This was a pretty good drama that I saw as a kind of cross between The Fisher King and Street Smart. Some might find it too slow, but I felt that my patience was rewarded with a very good third act and a good overall viewing experience.

Director: Brad Bird

Starring: Patton Oswalt, Ian Holm, Lou Romano, Janeane Garofalo, Brian Dennehy, Peter O’Toole, Brad Garrett

Pixar (The Toy Story people, for you cave dwellers out there) has scored another animation hit with this uneven, but still enjoyable feature about a rat who dreams of becoming a chef. Well, safe to say that we have an original idea there. The animation is, of course, superb, regardless of whether we are watching a surging storm drain, precise human hand dexterity or the Paris cityscape. There are several sub-plots going on and a little more focus would have been of some help here. There are also several overly long scenes of rats scurrying away from dangers that get a little wearisome, but a fairly charming story does emerge soon enough.

This movie surprised me with a funny, little, seven-minute short feature, called Lifted, which was about an inept alien screwing up an apparent human abduction test. This was a nice start and lead up to the main feature, in which Patton Oswalt reads the part of Remi, a very bright rat, who is also gifted with a very powerful sense of smell. This prevents him from enjoying the usual rat fare of, well, mainly garbage. Remi, who also knows how to read (this really is one talented rat!), learns about cooking from the book of the late, great, French Chef Gusteau. After escaping a shotgun swinging senior, as well as other dangers, Remi finds himself teaming up with a lowly, clean-up guy, Linguini (read by Lou Romano). With Remi’s talent and Linguini’s more acceptable kitchen presence, the two soon form a team that takes the Paris restaurant world by storm. Linguini finds love, while Remi finds a perfect soup, but there are complications aplenty, including the evil Head Chef, Skinner (well read by Ian Holm), who has an interest in seeing the young boy fail. Peter O’Toole, as well, does a great job reading the small, but important part of the feared restaurant critic, Anton Ego. The story, which takes a little time to get rolling, is quite warm and enjoyable, is capped off with, of course, a nice feel-good finish.

Well, if nothing else, this film could be used as a recruiting tool for culinary school, but that shouldn’t be necessary, since, besides glorifying the art of cooking, it should be enjoyed by all ages. I found issue with a very brief scene that showed a gun being used in anger in a domestic setting (besides our Shotgun Sally senior mentioned above). I found this scene to be completely out of place and inappropriate. I don’t understand why it was included. Ratatouille also has few less giggles than I hope to see in a feature of this type, but does serve up a very heart-warming story with a tiny, side dish scene about critics (like me), who create nothing and only attack those who do create. On behalf of critics everywhere, I take issue with this completely unfair assessment of the critic’s place in society! Let me just make a few points in our defense. First of all, I’d like to say….ummm…well; I guess I don’t have any points to raise. It’s pretty much true.

Starring: Mel Gibson, Rene Russo, Brawley Nolte, Gary Sinise, Delroy Lindo,

Director: Ron Howard

Howard rounds up a great cast for this one and finds a first rate script. The result is a great action/thriller that is one of Gibson’s best.
Gibson is Tom Mullen, a rich airline owner, and Rene Russo, his wife, Kate. Their son is kidnapped by a group of criminals led by a streetwise NYPD detective, Jimmy Shaker, played by Gary Sinise, who slips over to the wrong side of the law. The story is fast and interesting from the start, but really picks up when Mullen chooses a surprising and shocking method to deal with the situation that is sure to make great after movie conversation. Delroy Lindo is very good as FBI agent, Lonnie Hawkins, who has to deal with Mullen’s unprecedented move.
This is an excellent project that grips the viewer all the way through. It will likely appeal to most viewers.

Director: Taylor Hackford

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Regina King, Clifton Powell, Harry J. Lennix, Bokeem Woodbine, Sharon Warren, C.J. Sanders, Curtis Armstrong, Richard Schiff.

The musical bio-pic is a popular Hollywood staple and this one further immortalizes the great Ray Charles. Jamie Foxx is stunning in the Oscar winning title role of this Taylor Hackford (who also did a fine job directing) and James White, screenplay. The character of Ray Charles is refreshing open, with some nasty character flaws, that are often left out of works like this. The film offers a wide emotional range, that goes from lonely and sad to frustrating, to energetic, but never boring. The theatrical version is long enough at two and half hours, and the extended version is choppy and distracting, so I recommend sticking with the original.

This story spans several decades, as it tells Ray’s story from the time he was a healthy, young boy losing his younger brother, through the experience of losing his eyesight, and trying to find his place in the music world and follows him through his life as a major star, dealing with a disability and other treacherous character issues.

This is a strong film that holds up well to repeated viewings, particularly if the viewer is a fan of Charles’ music. It was robbed of Best Picture at the 2005 Oscars, by Million Dollar Baby, but, it is the better film. If, however, bio pics are not the kind of film that usually enjoy, or you don’t like Ray Charles’ jazzy rock sound, then this may not be the one for you.

Director: Stephen Hopkins

Starring: Hilary Swank, David Morrissey, Idris Elba, AnnaSophia Robb, Stephen Rea, William Ragsdale

Director Stephen Hopkins, best known for The Ghost and The Darkness and several episodes of 24, uses a lot of shock tactics for thriller effects here, but doesn‘t manage to build and hold the tension as top thrillers do. The film is relentlessly dark and does build an effective mood, but the script, by twin brothers, Carey and Chad Hayes, is unveiled in a formula, by-the-numbers fashion and is interspersed with psychedelic flashbacks and visions.

A tiny, bible belt town gets spooked when their local river turns red and blames the plague-like occurrence on a strange twelve-year old girl. Professor Katherine Winter (Hilary Swank), a lapsed Minister and an expert in de-bunking divine occurrences is convinced to investigate by the local science teacher, Doug Blackwell (David Morrissey), whose role seems to chiefly consist of blandly dispensing back story and information. Soon, Doug, Katherine and her colleague, Ben (Idris Elba) are witnessing more mysterious events, and some pretty gross scenes as tensions grow.

The Reaping is a biblical-based thriller in the tradition of films like Stigmata and, to a lesser extent, The Omen and The Exorcist, but it lacks the punch of the latter films, and is a mediocre choice for all but die-hard horror suspense fans.

Director: John Milius

Starring: Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Charlie Sheen, Lea Thompson, Darren Dalton, Jennifer Grey, Brad Savage

Red Dawn was an uneven 80s vehicle for young stars like Patrick Swayze and C. Thomas Howell (both hot from The Outsiders), soon-to-be-stars like Charlie Sheen (Red Dawn was his very first role), Lea Thompson and Jennifer Grey. The big far-fetched story of a successful U.S. invasion is unconvincingly scaled down and doesn’t hold up to a lot of thought (or even a little). The entire film also looks rather cheap, which certainly doesn‘t add to its appeal. The script by director John Milius and Kevin Reynolds is formulaic and prone to stiff dialog. Still, the idea of a young group of freedom fighters was intriguing, and charismatic cast show hints of their future glory. It’s not enough to make the film good, but it is enough to save it from being really bad.

Red Dawn opens quickly with an international military alliance launching an invasion of the U.S. A group of youngsters catch on quickly to the fact that something is wrong and high tail it up into the mountains. Eventually, they venture back to town, desperate for supplies and information. The group learns that they are in smack dab in the middle of World War III and are stuck on the occupied side of America. It would be a frightening thought if the whole scenario wasn’t so ridiculous. The kids are planning to continue hiding until they see how poorly their families and neighbors are being treated. This inspires them to fight back as a guerilla unit, which seems amazingly easy….for awhile at least.

Not much to recommend here, unless you are interested in this ‘what if’ kind of scenario, or want to see performers you enjoy in an early role. It’s kind of like Taps, that way. Not a horrible film, but not a good one either. If you catch it on late night TV, it might be just the thing to provide you with enough entertainment to keep you from being bored, but not so engrossing that you stay awake.

Director: John Dahl

Starring: Nicholas Cage, J.T. Walsh, Lara Flynn Boyle, Dennis Hopper

The Dahl brothers gave us this twisted crime drama that is reminiscent of the Coen brothers’ stuff, and it holds it’s own in fast company like Blood Simple and Fargo. It is a small, character-driven film that let the four principals showcase their impressive skills. Cage in particular does well here. The script has plenty of twists and effective, but economical, dialogue.

Nicholas Cage is Michael Williams, a down-on-his-luck, honest-to-a-fault drifter who finds himself mistaken for a hitman when drifting through a small Wyoming town. Broke and desperate, he goes along with the wrong assumption and takes the front money for the hit. Getting out of town proves to be difficult, however, and the complications quickly begin to pile up.

This is a great rental, or TV choice, for fans of the seedy, underworld double take. The story is complex enough, but not hard to follow and moves forward at a brisk pace, with enough quick turns to keep you paying attention. Coen brothers’ fans will find this right up their alley, and for those of you who are not Coen brothers fans, why aren’t you?

Director: Ted Demme

Starring: Denis Leary, Judy Davis, Kevin Spacey, Robert J. Steinmiller Jr., Glynis Johns, Raymond Barry, Christine Baranski.

Ted Demme does a good job with this comedy/drama about the kidnapping of a bickering family at Christmas, but he had plenty of help to do it. The story is simple and unconvincing, but is buoyed by strong dialog, expertly delivered by the three principals, backed up with a strong supporting cast. The film is set at Christmas, but don’t expect any, “Gee, Dad, what about the other kids? Does Santa help them, too?” kind of moments.

Judy Davis and Kevin Spacey are Caroline and Lloyd Chasseur, an unhappily married couple whose fights are like pro wrestling cage matches. One of these fights, on Christmas Eve, no less, is interrupted when a fleeing burglar, Gus (Denis Leary), on the run from the police, kidnaps them. Soon, our desperate criminal is even more desperate to get away from these serial bickerers. Things only get worse, when the extended family arrives, which just extends the fighting. Soon, the career criminal is moonlighting as a fledgling, Oprah-quoting, family therapist as he just tries to stop the incessant family brawling.

Sarcastic humor and impressive performances are the strengths of this feature, which has Denis Leary at his wisecracking best. Not your typical Christmas feature but worth watching just the same.