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Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Starring: Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Robin Wright Penn, Spencer Treat Clark

M. Night Shyamalan burst into the blazing light of movie stardom with his magnificent 1999 thriller, Sixth Sense. Shyamalan’s follow up to that monster hit was this patient, almost plodding, dramatic mystery with a subtle comic book story, and an anti-climatic, but clever ending, that may people found too slow and dark. Shyamalan chooses a dark style with muted colors (even more so than in Sixth Sense) and unusual camera angles to tell this story that seems to have polarized opinions into love it or hate it camps. I love it and still consider to be Shyamalan’s second best work.

Bruce Willis is David Dunn, a subdued stadium security guard with a twelve year old son and marital problems when he finds himself as the unharmed survivor of a massive train wreck. An unfazed David takes this in stride, but soon finds himself approached by an injury prone comic book art dealer named Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson) who thinks that David may be the unbreakable opposite to his own incredibly brittle physique. Price keeps popping up with questions to test his theory, as David begins to learn more about himself.

Unbreakable has an original and intriguing story, but many will find the dark lighting and drab colors combines with the low moving script to create an experience akin to a high school history class with soft lighting and a pillow. Shyamalan obviously intended to provide contrast in the same manner as he used red in Sixth Sense, but it’s overdone here and won’t be to everyone’s taste. If, however, you appreciate an understated subtlety that has become increasingly rare in today’s flashy and loud Hollywood features, then Unbreakable will mark a welcome relief.

Director: Gregory Hoblit

Starring: Diane Lane, Billy Burke, Colin Hanks, Joseph Cross, Mary Beth Hurt

Director Gregory Hoblit (Fracture, Primal Fear) has turned out far better projects than this formula cop film about the hunt for yet another serial killer. It aspires to the legacy of Silence of the Lambs and the Saw series, but lacks the intriguing characters and relentless tension of more successful films of this genre. The story shows a little imagination and has a 21st century angle with some kind of message about the dangers of internet voyeurism and media responsibility, the execution of this timely message however, is mediocre.

Diane Lane is FBI agent Jennifer Marsh, who, like every other cop in movies, struggles with balancing the job with her personal life. She has been widowed and is trying to raise her 8 year old daughter with the help of her mother, played by Mary Beth Hurt whose role mostly consists of shaking her head alot. On the job, Jen chases internet criminals and this field gets alot more tense when a ridiculously capable techno villain kidnaps a man and sets up a website where each visit brings the victim closer to death in a grisly manner.

Untraceable is a mix of the tension of the Silence of The Lambs, and the sadism of Saw with some Youtube and Myspace mixed in. The end result however, is a little disappointing and is only likely to be a good choice for easily-pleased fans of the suspense/horror category.

Director: Michael O. Sajbel

Starring: Drew Fuller, James Garner, Ali Hillis, Abigail Breslin, Lee Meriwether, Bill Cobbs, Brian Dennehy,

Well, this was a surprise. I picked this film up as a new video release not realizing that it was from the Fox Faith Collection – a Christian film. Oh well, I thought, I am a reviewer. How bad can it be? Not all that bad to be honest. The acting is uneven, with some of the unknowns struggling, while the old pros like Garner, Cobbs and Dennehy are as skilled as ever. The dialog is wooden and stilted in spots, but I’ve seen worse. The story, which is based on Jim Stovall’s novel of the same name, is manipulative (big surprise there), but is fairly engaging once it gets going.

Drew Fuller’s inexperience shows itself from time to time, as he plays Jason Stevens, the spoiled grandson of a deceased billionaire whose expectations from the will are put off while he is led through several tasks designed to make him a better person. Along the way, he meets and befriends a young girl named Emily, played by Abigail Breslin just before Little Miss Sunshine hit the theatres and made her a big star. Her mother, Alexia, played by Ali Hillis. The production values here are Hollywood quality, though both the script and the acting could have been improved.

Well, I have seen a lot better and much, much worse, so if you are attracted at all by the idea of seeing a spiritually based film, then this is not a bad choice. The whole thing kinda plays like a dramatic, spiritual version of Brewster’s Millions, though I have to say that I still prefer the Richard Pryor and John Candy choice.

Director: Paul Fieg

Starring: Charlie Goldfinch, Grace Conrad, Donna Malone, Spencer Davenport, Lewis Black, Wilmer Valderrama

I am a fun-loving guy. I like to laugh, hear jokes and stuff like that. This is why I often like to see a comedy – even if its bad, it will give me a chuckle or two. Even those aimed at younger viewers are always good for a giggle, or at least a guffaw. Well, not always, I guess. This Home Alone wannabe is as funny as blood on the sidewalk. It has poor acting, a yawner of a story, jokes that are not funny, and a fine selection of stock characters that have been so overused by Hollywood, that the whole movie is as appealling as a commercial that you have seen six times in the last hour. If I have been a little wordy, and unclear, up to this point, let me say succinctly. This movie sucks.

The premise here is that six youngsters, ranging in age from around seven to 14, are flying as unaccompanied minors, when a blizzard strands them at some airport somewhere, where they promptly set out on a mission of mischief that uses a lot of unfunny ideas and drab comic violence (particularly voice changing groin strikes – those are ALWAYS funny, right?) mixed in with toilet humor (Ingenious! Who would have thought of that?). There is an evil airport manager or something, who’s as pleasant as an evening alone with an electric cattle prod and a mentally, deranged convict named Sparky. Now, that’s not as fun as it sounds (never mind how I know!) bu it would probably still make a better movie than this one. I could go on, but I think I have made my point.

It starts bad and it gets worse. It’s not interesting and it’s not funny. The only possible positive aspect to watching this might be a new appreciation for the value of every moment of the precious gift called life.
Maniac out.

Starring: Jamie Bell, Josh Lucas, Dermot Mulroney, Terry Loughlin Devon Alan

Director: David Gordon Green

This is a slow and generally ponderous drama with a depressing mood. The acting is ok, but it is wasted on a story that goes nowhere fast and takes you to where you already knew it was going. I paid two bucks to see this movie and got ripped off.

Jamie Bell of Billy Elliot fame stars as Chris Munn, a rural teenager living a rough life with his father, John, (Dermot Mulroney) and little brother, Tim (Devon Alan) when John’s paroled brother, Deel, shows up. This family falls just a little short of the ideal and soon the two boys are on the run with family problems hot on their trail.

Not much to recommend this one. If its on TV and you have no dishes to do, I guess it might be worth it. If you watch the first twenty minutes and are not interested, give it up. It doesn’t get much better.

Director: Carl Bessai

Starring: Tantoo Cardinal, Carmen Moore, Callum Keith Rennie, Margo Kane, Michelle Thrush

This is surreal and haunting Canadian production is based on a stage play that was inspired by true events. Director Carl Bessai sometimes overdoes it on the style but does a great job of pulling the viewer into the terrifying world of Aboriginal prostitution, alcoholism and homelessness. It is dark, compelling and many scenes are difficult to watch. The symbolism gets a little too heavy at times, but the dialogue and acting is frighteningly authentic.

Carmen Moore plays Rebecca, a woman who sets out to find her aboriginal mother whom she has never known. Her search area is the dirty and dangerous mean streets that are being stalked by a serial killer (Callum Keith Rennie), who preys on marginalized native women. The theme of families and lives shattered and separated by alcohol carries on throughout.

Strong performances and direction that captures the chaos of alcohol and its effects power this difficult drama. It is not light viewing, but it is effective. There is a disturbing level of sexual violence that, though important to the story, is still shocking.

Director: James Bridges

Starring: John Travolta, Debra Winger, Scott Glenn, Barry Corbin, James Gammon, Madolyn Smith.

If there is a drama that is more dated than this one, I can’t think of it. It’s set in the urban cowboy period 25 yrs ago. It is politically incorrect, packed with wall-to-wall country music, Texas drawls, eighties hair, and really flashy shirts, but, sheee-it, I lak it anyways! Debra Winger plays a really cute cowgirl, Scott Glenn makes a cool bad guy and John Travolta is great in everything he does.

Urban Cowboy tells the story of Bud (Travolta) and Sissy (Winger) who meet at Gilley’s, a real country bar in Houston. They fall in love, fight, make up and fight some more as they live their, blue-collar lives. There is a twangy country soundtrack, lots of cowboy hats and really great characters. Plus, it has the sexiest mechanical bull-riding scene, ever, not that there are too many competitors for that title.

Not everyone is going to like this. You will have to like 80’s country music and know that this is a period piece if there ever was one. The acting is very strong and the story is pretty good and does a great job of capturing the mood of the urban cowboy craze in all its glory and silliness.