Wes Craven's Red Eye was not so great. I wanted to like this movie because I loved his Scream movies but here's wasn't a ton of gore in this movie or enough suspense to make it very engaging or scary. I thought Rachel McAdams wasn't bad but there wasn't enough of the storyline for her to work with to make it interesting. I didn't expect it to be Nightmare on Elmstreet but it was too cutsie for me.
McAdams plays a woman who works at a five star hotel in Miami who goes to Dallas for her grandmother's funeral. There she runs into a nice guy (the psych doctor in Batman Begins) in the line waiting for a delayed red eye flight. They chat for awhile and end up sitting next to each other on the plane. Nicities turn into an assassination plot with her father as collateral. McAdams has to choose between her father's life or someone else's. On the plane she tries more than once to get away but is stopped by her tormentor and counts the minutes before the flight lands.
The ending is somewhat reminscent of Scream where Sydney says, "Not in my movie." But not as good. No surprises or intricate plot twists. Way too predictable.
I don't feel as though any of the characters were developed enough for me to care. The man who plays McAdams' father is flat. Previously he was King Agamemnon in TROY. I can only imagine that this actor didn't have enough lines or scenes for us to really care about him.
Anyway, you can wait for this one on rental. And if you fall asleep before you finish, you don't have to worry about missing anything.
Worth the money rating: $$ 1/2
Friday, September 23, 2005
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Peace One Day
Tuesday September 20th is the eve of a day of peace that the whole world celebrates. Jeremy Gilley (Dir./Prod./Writer Peace
One Day) chronicles his mission to get the world to agree to observe one day a year without fighting and bloodshed.
I saw this documentary last year and it was a moving film. It was amazing how much he had to go through to get governments and leaders to agree on one date in Sept. I recommend everyone to see it if they can this year.
Learn more at www.peaceoneday.org
e-mail: info@peaceoneday.org
One Day) chronicles his mission to get the world to agree to observe one day a year without fighting and bloodshed.
I saw this documentary last year and it was a moving film. It was amazing how much he had to go through to get governments and leaders to agree on one date in Sept. I recommend everyone to see it if they can this year.
Learn more at www.peaceoneday.org
e-mail: info@peaceoneday.org
Monday, September 19, 2005
God of War
I probably wouldn't have gone to see this movie but one of my friends wanted to go. It ended up being pretty darn good.
In the war-filled times we live in, this storyline really hits home and leaves you to wonder who the War Lords really are- those that sell guns or those that direct people to sell guns.
Nicolas Cage plays a second generation Russian from Little Odessa in NY who wants to do more with his life than live in his neighborhood, so he sells his first gun. This opens him up to selling to bigger players- Russian mafia- and ultimately to rulers of nations to meet their political agendas.
My friend who saw this with me said the movie felt like a documentary. I agree it had that quality. It literally takes you through a decade of political upheaval and truck/plane-loads of guns in remote locations. It's crazy how the selling of weapons was always a constant whether countries were at war or not at war. That's a frightening thought.
Cage marries his dream girl and has a cute as a button kid. But can't seem to keep it all together but enjoys the game so much he's willing to sacrifice them. He's also pursued by a law-abiding, rule-following detective played by Ethan Hawke. Although Hawke is only in the movie for short periods of time, I thought his performance was good. Much like his character gone hard in Training Day. He also symbolizes the futility of stopping corruption when it is so ramped and backed by governments.
This movie portrays what a man that sells weapons has to give up and what he has to gain. And how can he justify selling weapons to countries that will kill women, children and even themselves?
This movie was well shot with gritty scenes reminiscent of Traffic without the wobbly hand-held style camera work. I also liked how beautifully, corrupt the locations looked and how all of it seemed unbelievably real. Probably because war is real and whether it's a movie or not, the truth about its effects can't be hidden.
Worth the money rating: $$$$
In the war-filled times we live in, this storyline really hits home and leaves you to wonder who the War Lords really are- those that sell guns or those that direct people to sell guns.
Nicolas Cage plays a second generation Russian from Little Odessa in NY who wants to do more with his life than live in his neighborhood, so he sells his first gun. This opens him up to selling to bigger players- Russian mafia- and ultimately to rulers of nations to meet their political agendas.
My friend who saw this with me said the movie felt like a documentary. I agree it had that quality. It literally takes you through a decade of political upheaval and truck/plane-loads of guns in remote locations. It's crazy how the selling of weapons was always a constant whether countries were at war or not at war. That's a frightening thought.
Cage marries his dream girl and has a cute as a button kid. But can't seem to keep it all together but enjoys the game so much he's willing to sacrifice them. He's also pursued by a law-abiding, rule-following detective played by Ethan Hawke. Although Hawke is only in the movie for short periods of time, I thought his performance was good. Much like his character gone hard in Training Day. He also symbolizes the futility of stopping corruption when it is so ramped and backed by governments.
This movie portrays what a man that sells weapons has to give up and what he has to gain. And how can he justify selling weapons to countries that will kill women, children and even themselves?
This movie was well shot with gritty scenes reminiscent of Traffic without the wobbly hand-held style camera work. I also liked how beautifully, corrupt the locations looked and how all of it seemed unbelievably real. Probably because war is real and whether it's a movie or not, the truth about its effects can't be hidden.
Worth the money rating: $$$$
Thursday, September 15, 2005
The Exorcism of Emily Rose
I usually don't see horror flicks unless they're slasher films like Scream but the courtroom aspect of this movie intrigued me so I said what the hell- and because my friend made me go so she'd have someone to scream with.
Anyway, this is supposedly based on a true story about Annaliese Michel, a woman from Germany who died after priests spent eight months trying to exorcise demons from her body. According to the movie, Brunner (the defense attorney) handed over her case files so that this movie could be made and Emily Rose's story could be told.
Erin Brunner (Laura Linney) is hired to represent Farther Moore (Tom Wilkinson) against prosecutors who say Emily Rose's death was a negligent homicide based on medical evidence. As you know, exorcism is not based on medical facts but on spiritual factors, and Father Moore needs to find a believer in an agnostic Brunner in order to win his case.
As the tale unfolds through courtroom witnesses, a normal Emily Rose, 19, going to college for the first time, starts behaving strangely and is diagnosed to have everything from epilepsy to schizophrenia and is given medication by physicians in order to cure her condition. Her condition worsens and she leaves school to join her parents. Her parents being devout Christians believe Emily is possessed. They trust their fate to God and to their parish priest, Father Moore.
The Vatican doesn't want Father Moore's testimony to cast shadows on the church and Linney is hired by them to make sure she tries his case with the least amount of publicity. As series of events happen and Linney learns more about Emily Rose's case and she finds her faith tested by more than demons—her bosses, her common sense and her instincts.
I have to be honest, I thought the courtroom scenes were quite good except for Campbell Scott who plays the DA but he comes off flat and odd looking with a mustache. His lines weren't that good but he just was wrong for the part altogether. I didn't believe he was a compelling Christian DA. On the up-side Linney and Wilkenson held up about equally in their performances.
The scenes of Emily Rose going through the exorcism are reminiscent of THE EXORCIST of course and any other creepy movie you've seen regarding this matter. There are less special effects and more psychological stuff going on in this movie, so although 1/2 the time my hands were over my eyes, I didn't miss the storyline.
The end of the movie was interesting. It left you to think about what you believe not only as a Christian but also as a human being when it really comes down to it.
I'd say see this movie even if you're a scary movie wimp like me. I enjoyed the trial scenes and message of this movie. And you can always go see it with someone who makes you laugh and reminds you that it's just a movie and not real life- or is it?
Worth the money rating: $$$
Anyway, this is supposedly based on a true story about Annaliese Michel, a woman from Germany who died after priests spent eight months trying to exorcise demons from her body. According to the movie, Brunner (the defense attorney) handed over her case files so that this movie could be made and Emily Rose's story could be told.
Erin Brunner (Laura Linney) is hired to represent Farther Moore (Tom Wilkinson) against prosecutors who say Emily Rose's death was a negligent homicide based on medical evidence. As you know, exorcism is not based on medical facts but on spiritual factors, and Father Moore needs to find a believer in an agnostic Brunner in order to win his case.
As the tale unfolds through courtroom witnesses, a normal Emily Rose, 19, going to college for the first time, starts behaving strangely and is diagnosed to have everything from epilepsy to schizophrenia and is given medication by physicians in order to cure her condition. Her condition worsens and she leaves school to join her parents. Her parents being devout Christians believe Emily is possessed. They trust their fate to God and to their parish priest, Father Moore.
The Vatican doesn't want Father Moore's testimony to cast shadows on the church and Linney is hired by them to make sure she tries his case with the least amount of publicity. As series of events happen and Linney learns more about Emily Rose's case and she finds her faith tested by more than demons—her bosses, her common sense and her instincts.
I have to be honest, I thought the courtroom scenes were quite good except for Campbell Scott who plays the DA but he comes off flat and odd looking with a mustache. His lines weren't that good but he just was wrong for the part altogether. I didn't believe he was a compelling Christian DA. On the up-side Linney and Wilkenson held up about equally in their performances.
The scenes of Emily Rose going through the exorcism are reminiscent of THE EXORCIST of course and any other creepy movie you've seen regarding this matter. There are less special effects and more psychological stuff going on in this movie, so although 1/2 the time my hands were over my eyes, I didn't miss the storyline.
The end of the movie was interesting. It left you to think about what you believe not only as a Christian but also as a human being when it really comes down to it.
I'd say see this movie even if you're a scary movie wimp like me. I enjoyed the trial scenes and message of this movie. And you can always go see it with someone who makes you laugh and reminds you that it's just a movie and not real life- or is it?
Worth the money rating: $$$
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
The 40 year old virgin
I saw this at least a week ago. I think I was in a good mood when I saw this but... I didn't love this movie. I thought parts of it were funny but it was pretty much formula the whole way. Maybe I just hate male virgins. Who knows.
Anyway, I forgot the character's name and the actor who played him. But obviously the story line is about a guy who never lost it. He collects models and action figures and rides a bike- doesn't drive. I'd say virigin doesn't have to equal geek but in this case, I guess they're synonomous.
So once his virginity is announced at the electronics store he works at, his co-workers are on a mission to get him laid. Of course, they give him bad advice about relationships and sex. And he ends up pursuing one woman who sells things on E-bay.
The ending is sappy and basically the whole movie is stupid. But if you like sappy, stupid movies this one is for you.
If I had to choose between this and Wedding Crashers, it's Wedding Crashers hands down. I just thought this movie was boring and again stupid. But I did hear that he got a real waxing and filmed it live- guess that's worth something
Worth the money rating: $$$
Anyway, I forgot the character's name and the actor who played him. But obviously the story line is about a guy who never lost it. He collects models and action figures and rides a bike- doesn't drive. I'd say virigin doesn't have to equal geek but in this case, I guess they're synonomous.
So once his virginity is announced at the electronics store he works at, his co-workers are on a mission to get him laid. Of course, they give him bad advice about relationships and sex. And he ends up pursuing one woman who sells things on E-bay.
The ending is sappy and basically the whole movie is stupid. But if you like sappy, stupid movies this one is for you.
If I had to choose between this and Wedding Crashers, it's Wedding Crashers hands down. I just thought this movie was boring and again stupid. But I did hear that he got a real waxing and filmed it live- guess that's worth something
Worth the money rating: $$$
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