News
Spies 'n bikes 'n destiny!
- Posted by
- a.k.a. Gusmer
- News date
- Friday, January 31, 2003
Hey fellas! Morris enjoys as of now a well-deserved vacation, so here's me to let you know what's new this weekend:
The Recruit - Colin Farrell and Al Pacino join forces for a typical spy actioner that's getting mixed reviews.
Final Destination 2 - Destiny chases doomed teenagers again, how good is this sequel? Not at all bad, as it seems!
Biker Boyz - Is a ripoff of
The Fast and the Furious really necessary? Critics don't think so, but audiences may.
That's all. See you in a couple of days to tell you how the boxoffice went...
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Review
Nine Queens
- Director
- Fabián Bielinsky
- Year
- 2000
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- Review date
- Thursday, January 30, 2003
When
Nine Queens (
Nueve Reinas) was released in 2000 it made a splash around the globe. The movie set a new standard for caper flicks and went on to win as many awards as it could everywhere it was presented, including its native Argentina. From then on I became hooked…
Juan (Gastón Pauls) is a con artist who inherited the talent from his father. One day he gets caught in the act and Marcos (Ricardo Darín) helps him to escape. As it turns out, Marcos is a con artist himself and his partner just disappeared, so he convinces Juan to be his partner for a day. Unexpectedly enough, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity comes their way when they end up entangled with a rare set of valuable stamps called the Nine Queens.
The plot description above does not do the movie any justice as it is much more than meets the eye. The movie is fascinating in the way it portrays how con artists perform and live among us without we even noticing it. There’s nothing like fast money, and when you’ve got the talent it’s difficult to avoid the feeling of power you get when you pull a trick off. At least that’s how Juan and Marcos act. They’re experts and together they’re dynamite. But can they really trust each other?
Add to the game Marco’s drop-dead-gorgeous sister Valeria (Leticia Brédice) and another layer starts to surface. While trying to pull the Nine Queens scam Marco and Juan get immersed in a series of events that could be described as a variation of Mamet and Tarantino. The movie is nonstop entertainment as a caper flick, but it also has interesting characters, a very intelligent script full of witty dialogue, unforgettable characters and even some sexual tension thrown in there.
Kudos to director Fabián Bielinsky for pulling such a difficult movie off and doing it in such a classy way. Pauls, Darín and Brédice are all wonderful in their roles, especially when they get to interact with each other. I will never forget the way Brédice walks, especially across the hotel lobby.
And beware the big plot twist at the end. Just the icing in the cake.
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Review
The Red Shoes
- Director
- Michael Powell
- Emeric Pressburger
- Year
- 1948
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
- Review date
- Wednesday, January 29, 2003
Young ballerina Victoria Page (Moira Shearer) easily manages her way through stardom thanks to her dedication and mostly to a man who discovered her and trusted her talent: impresario Boris Lermontov (Anton Walbrook). This man, respected among colleagues and known as a ruthless talent-seeker and star-creator, puts Victoria in the brightest spotlight when he sets her to star in a new ballet, “The Red Shoes”, based upon the tale by Hans Christian Andersen. The music will be composed by another young talent sponsored by Lermontov, Julian Craster (Marius Goring).
Victoria shines, even brighter than expected, but the moment she starts behaving like a human being, letting her emotions towards a man distract her talent, Lermontov takes it quite bad.
This triumph of British cinema is an impressive marriage of ballet and storytelling, the definitive ballet film and probably the best one. Every bit of the film seems musical, even if it isn’t, and every scene with music and dance is absolutely absorbing. There is a magical interpretation of “The Red Shoes”, which is supposed to be the premiere: a scene that lasts approximately 15 minutes, taking the freedom of cinematographic language to add visual effects to a wonderful piece of dance and theater.
The haunting factor of the film is, certainly, how the classic tale translates into ballet, and then into film, all with a similar structure… and a similar ending. The finale, in fact, is unforgettable, as is Moira Shearer in her film debut. Walbrook also quite shines!
Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger… what a team!
“I will do the talking,
you will do the dancing!”
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Review
Marty
- Director
- Delbert Mann
- Year
- 1955
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- Review date
- Tuesday, January 28, 2003
I had always heard stories about how this movie was originally slated to air on television but got a boost when it surprisingly won the Palm d’Or at Cannes. From then on, it was another story, yet the essence of this great little movie never got lost in the shuffle.
Marty (Ernest Borgnine) is a good-natured thirty-something Italian-American butcher who hasn’t got married yet. He keeps being reminded of that by everyone, including his live-in mother (Esther Minciotti). But everything changes when he meets Clara (Betsy Blair), a misunderstood shy person as himself.
While reading the premise you must’ve thought, “Is that it?”. Well, the answer is yes. That’s it, that is exactly what the movie is about. It’s as simple as that. “So where does the grandness of it lay?”, you might continue to think. And that’s exactly the trick.
Marty is a movie so simple and so honest that you won’t believe it while you’re watching it. The reason I loved this movie so much is because it portrayed life as it is. It has two central characters that don’t have a cynic cell in their body. Two characters that feel like they don’t belong to their environment. Two characters that find it difficult to survive in a world where looks and being cool are all that matters. Yet both have managed to survive because they haven’t stopped being who they are. They were meant to be together, you see, and their story was meant to be told so we could also fall in love with them.
Ernest Borgnine delivers a masterful performance full of sentimentality and authenticity. He breathes through the screen and we identify with him. After all, haven’t we felt kind of misunderstood at one point in our lives? It’s a lie that popularity and good looks are the keys to happiness. Marty is the perfect example of that. Betsy Blair is also note-perfect as his love interest. A truly fantastic match!
Simplicity at its best.
“I dunno, Angie. What do you wanna do?”
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News
SAG nominations 2003
- Posted by
- Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
- News date
- Tuesday, January 28, 2003
The Screen Actors Guild nominations have been announced, and it’s important that you check out this list. Why is that? Because it’s actors nominating actors, people who know what their work is about, and recognize colleagues year by year. These awards, as you may know, are extremely influential in the acting categories at the Oscar, for most of the nominees here get nominations there, and most of the winners here win there too! As usual, actors get considered in the leading category instead of the supporting, like Meryl Streep, who cancelled herself out for being considered as leading for both
Adaptation. and
The Hours. It’s refreshing to see people like Alfred Molina, Christopher Walken and Michelle Pfeiffer get a nomination since they had been snubbed lately, while Richard Gere is getting a pretty good chance to be nominated at the Oscars. While that category is changing a lot of shape, the one of the actresses seems pretty definite. Well, check out the list:
Actress
Salma Hayek,
Frida
Nicole Kidman.
The Hours
Diane Lane,
Unfaithful
Julianne Moore,
Far From Heaven
Renee Zellweger,
Chicago
Actor
Adrien Brody,
The Pianist
Nicolas Cage,
Adaptation.
Daniel Day-Lewis,
Gangs of New York
Richard Gere,
Chicago
Jack Nicholson,
About Schmidt
Supporting Actress
Kathy Bates,
About Schmidt
Julianne Moore,
The Hours
Michelle Pfeiffer,
White Oleander
Queen Latifah,
Chicago
Catherine Zeta-Jones,
Chicago
Supporting Actor
Chris Cooper,
Adaptation.
Ed Harris,
The Hours
Alfred Molina,
Frida
Dennis Quaid,
Far From Heaven
Christopher Walken,
Catch Me If You Can
Ensemble
Adaptation.
Chicago
The Hours
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
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Review
Anna Karenina
- Director
- Clarence Brown
- Year
- 1935
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
- Review date
- Monday, January 27, 2003
Anna Karenina (Greta Garbo), the respected wife of a government bureaucrat (Basil Rathbone), finds complete disorder in her life when dashing Count Vronsky (Fredric March) comes into her life. A respected member of the militia, fancied by many women, Vronsky falls hopelessly in love with Anna, and makes it his goal in life to make her his own; is she capable of facing society as an adulterous woman, leaving her adoring son (Freddie Bartholomew) behind? Even Vronsky faces the fact and speaks to her about how their relationship is doomed from the very beginning.
Gorgeous adaptation of the classic novel by Leo Tolstoy, with amazing cast and production design. While the novel truly deepens in the customs of 19th century Russia, as well as the society in general, the film centers in the relationship of the lovers only, which is a necessary sacrifice due to its short running time compared to the overlength of the novel. However, the movie works incredibly, with the few bits of Russian tradition in banquets and balls real pleasant, plus absorbing drama and romance. Anna’s dilemma is transmitted intact to the viewer, as is the dead-end feeling she faces. Garbo expresses joy and sadness inimitably as expected. If her husky voice and secure manners sort of oppose the fragility of Tolstoy’s character, that doesn’t mean she plays the role wrong: instead, she makes it her own, making of such a classic tale a vehicle for herself, which works just fine.
March, Bartholomew and especially Rathbone bring great support. Maureen O’Sullivan, adorable as always, plays Kitty, the woman who loved Vronsky; she’s so lovely, that it’s nearly impossible to believe that Vronsky actually ignores her for another woman. The other suitor she has, Levin (Gyles Isham), is a character Tolstoy allegedly based on himself.
One of Garbo’s gems, highly recommendable.
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News
BAFTA Nominations 2003
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Monday, January 27, 2003
The British Academy of Film and Television has just announced its nominees just one day before the SAG nominations come out. Nothing really surprising except that this list could very well belong to the AMPAS. We'll see something quite similar come February 11th.
Best film
Chicago
Gangs of New York
The Hours
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The Pianist
Best British film
(Alexander Korda award for the outstanding British film of the year)
Bend it Like Beckham
Dirty Pretty Things
The Hours
The Magdalene Sisters
The Warrior
Best director
(David Lean award for achievement in direction)
Rob Marshall -
Chicago
Martin Scorsese -
Gangs of New York
Stephen Daldry -
The Hours
Peter Jackson -
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Roman Polanski -
The Pianist
Best actor in a leading role
Adrien Brody -
The Pianist
Nicolas Cage -
Adaptation
Sir Michael Caine - The Quiet American
Daniel Day-Lewis-
Gangs of New York
Jack Nicholson -
About Schmidt
Best actress in a leading role
Halle Berry -
Monster's Ball
Salma Hayek -
Frida
Nicole Kidman -
The Hours
Meryl Streep -
The Hours
Renee Zellweger -
Chicago
Best actor in a supporting role
Chris Cooper -
Adaptation
Ed Harris -
The Hours
Alfred Molina -
Frida
Paul Newman -
Road to Perdition
Christopher Walken -
Catch Me If You Can
Best actress in a supporting role
Toni Collette -
About a Boy
Queen Latifah -
Chicago
Julianne Moore -
The Hours
Meryl Streep -
Adaptation
Catherine Zeta Jones -
Chicago
Make-up and hair
Chicago
Frida
Gangs of New York
The Hours
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Special visual effects
Gangs of New York
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Minority Report
Spider-Man
Best sound
Chicago
Gangs of New York
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The Pianist
Editing
City of God
Gangs of New York
The Hours
Chicago
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Costume design
Catch Me If You Can
Chicago
Frida
Gangs of New York
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Production design
Chicago
Gangs of New York
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Road to Perdition
Cinematography
Chicago
Gangs of New York
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The Pianist
Road to Perdition
Best music
(Antony Asquith award for achievement in film music)
Catch Me If You Can
Chicago
Gangs of New York
The Hours
The Pianist
Best film not in the English language
Y Tu Mamá También
City Of God
Devdas
Talk to Her
The Warrior
Original screenplay
Y Tu Mamá También
Dirty Pretty Things
Gangs of New York
The Magdelene Sisters
Talk to Her
Adapted screenplay
About a Boy
Adaptation
Catch Me If You Can
The Hours
The Pianist
Carl Foreman award for special achievement in first feature film
Simon Bent - Christie Malry's
Own Double Entry (writer)
Lucy Darwin -
Lost In La Mancha (producer)
Asif Kapadia -
The Warrior (writer and director)
Duncan Roy -
AKA (writer and director)
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News
Box Office Results
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Sunday, January 26, 2003
Despite its non-existent star power,
Darkness Falls made its way to the top position at the box office this weekend. Meanwhile
Chicago continued to expand and did admirably well.
The Hours also continued to perform according to its pedigree. And
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind had a good debut, nothing more nothing less.
- Darkness Falls
- $12.5M, $12.5M total - Kangaroo Jack - $11.9M, $35.4M total
- Chicago
- $8.4M, $40.5M total - Just Married - $7.4M, $44.3M total
- National Security - $7.4M, $26.1M total
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - $6.9M, $309.1M total
- Catch Me If You Can
- $6.6M, $145.1M total - Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
- $6M, $6.5M total - About Schmidt - $5.5M, $37.8M total
- The Hours - $4M, $13.9M total
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News
What all the jazz is about!
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Friday, January 24, 2003
Forget about
Darkness Falls, an apparently lame attempt at scaring people, the real story this weekend is about
Chicago, which is expanding wider so all the country can see it just after its Golden Globes triumph. Now, keep in mind that this is probably going to take Best Picture at the Oscars in March, so believe me, you don't want to miss it! Oh, and it stars Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Need I say more?
The other story this weekend is George Clooney's directorial debut,
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, which stars Sam Rockwell, Drew Barrymore, Julia Roberts and Clooney himself. It tells part of Chuck Barris's wacky life and is being greeted generally with good reviews. Sounds good to me!
So there you go. Can't complain, uh? Have fun!
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Review
Wings of Desire
- Director
- Wim Wenders
- Year
- 1987
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
- Review date
- Thursday, January 23, 2003
The sky over Berlin is the initial setting of this take on the reflections of two angels that wander around human beings and wonder what it would be like to be human. Their ability to hear the human’s thoughts and in ways feel their feelings is what makes them lust for their humanity, and probably even wonder if there is a way to be a part of it.
Damiel (Bruno Ganz) takes it more seriously. After watching angelical trapeze artist Marion (Solveig Dommartin) and actor Peter Falk (famous for playing Columbo, playing himself here), as well as other people with different stories and motivations, he considers the possibility of changing the way of his existence. Is it worth it? How real is the world of humans compared to that of angels? How worthwhile is it to be mortal, only to be able to feel, to touch and to interact? All these questions and many revelations fill the atmosphere with awe and wonder, and make of this a haunting and amazing movie.
Wim Wenders excelled in creating a real world from something that is not palpable or even known by the people of this world, to a point that it makes you think differently. The cast members follow the director amazingly, all playing their roles just right, with indelible results. Otto Sander as the other angel caused a special impact in me.
The gorgeous cinematography by Henri Alekan also adds to the masterpiece, creating many kinds of reality for the eyes of angels and viewers alike.
“To smoke, and have coffee… and if you do it together, it's fantastic.”
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Review
The Lion in Winter
- Director
- Anthony Harvey
- Year
- 1968
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- Review date
- Tuesday, January 21, 2003
I saw
The Lion in Winter a couple of weeks ago without knowing anything about it but the fact that Katherine Hepburn had won one of her Oscars for it. That was enough for me to desperately want to see it, yet I was in for a surprise: I never thought I would like it so much!
King Henry II (Peter O’Toole) and Eleanor of Aquitaine (Katherine Hepburn) have three sons: savage Richard (Anthony Hopkins), cold Geoffrey (John Castle) and young John (Nigel Terry). All of them want to inherit the throne. But the King prefers John and his wife prefers Richard. One cold Christmas Day everyone gathers together along Henry’s mistress (Jane Merrow) and Phillip II (Timothy Dalton), King of France, in what becomes a rather nasty day, full of treason and back-stabbing, for everyone is blinded by power.
The Lion in Winter was adapted by James Goldman from his own play. The movie does feel theatrical, yet if you’re going to bring a play to the big screen this is exactly the way you have to do it. The dialogue is so sharp and the story so intense that at the end you feel exhausted, even with very little in the form of violence or anything apart from talking during the movie.
Every character has an arc and as the movie progresses we learn more and more about them. This is quite a hostile family, and it’s impressive how far some are willing to go to achieve what they want. The relationship between all of them is what carries the movie on, as scene after scene we get to see them interact and it’s always in the most unprecedented way. You never know what’s coming out of anyone’s mouth, but to be sure it’s always something witty and clever,
All About Eve-style.
I won’t tell you how the movie ends, since that’s one of the many pleasures this movie has to offer and it’s just one of the reasons the story is so entertaining and unpredictable. The only thing I’ll say is that at the end you get the feeling that even if every character in the movie is somewhat dislikable (yet terribly charming), there definitely is some humanity in the whole story, as it hits closer to home than one might think.
As for the performances, let me tell you this: the movie could have been in an entirely unknown language and I still would’ve loved it. Just watching all these wonderful actors speak, gesture, interact, that sole act would bring happiness to my life. Peter O’Toole is not good, he’s fantastic. And he’s aided by the wonderful Katherine Hepburn in one of her best performances. Together they’re dynamite. And so is the entire cast.
Kudos should go to director Anthony Harvey and to composer John Barry for their extraordinary job, yet every technical aspect of the movie is impeccable.
A roller-coaster of a ride!
“I’ve snapped and plotted all my life. There’s no other way to be alive, king and fifty all at once.”
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News
Directors Guild Association Nominees 2003
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Tuesday, January 21, 2003
The Directors Guild Association just announced its nominations and it's a pretty interesting line-up. Looks like the Oscar Best Picture category could contain all of these directors' movies. Spielberg and Haynes were snubbed, but those who made it deserve to be there.
Peter Jackson,
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Stephen Daldry,
The Hours
Roman Polanski,
The Pianist
Rob Marshall,
Chicago
Martin Scorsese,
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Review
Frida
- Director
- Paul Leduc
- Year
- 1984
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
- Review date
- Monday, January 20, 2003
Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, whose extravagant life blended art with politics, lived in a culture-filled environment along with muralist Diego Rivera, her husband and most influential lover. Their communism and their appreciation of culture and art, as well as their mutual infidelities, made this couple a memorable one.
This film, appropriately entitled in Spanish
Frida, Naturaleza Viva—the opposite of “still life”—has the minimum of dialogue, but fascinatingly manages to tell Frida’s story through images, music and songs. In a non-linear storytelling style, we see images from Frida’s childhood, the paralyzing accident that changed her life in her teens, her romance with Diego Rivera and her suffering next to him.
The cast is miraculous: Ofelia Medina a true reproduction of Frida, Juan José Gurrola hauntingly similar to Diego. Other standouts are Salvador Sánchez as David Alfaro Siqueiros (the character who speaks the most in one scene), Max Kerlow as Leon Trotsky and Claudio Brook as Frida’s father.
Passion is exuded in every possible way; while you’ll feel in your heart the motivations of Frida’s art, you’ll also understand her love for Rivera, while you get an accelerated heartbeat in a couple of strongly sexual scenes (mostly implied, though that lesbian scene towards the end is about the hottest I’ve ever seen).
Naturally shot in Mexico, with priceless photography by Angel Goded, the film features valuable settings in the Chapultepec Castle, the Teotihuacan pyramids and other historical places. Overall, it certainly rings true.
A triumph of director / co-writer Leduc, though slowly paced and a bit boring at times, this film paints a portrait of a great artist and an enigmatic human being.
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News
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards 2003
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Monday, January 20, 2003
The Broadcast Film Critics Association presented their awards on Sunday and here are the results. Keep in mind that they, along with the Golden Globes, are the best indicators of what to expect at the Oscars. Read on...
Best Picture
Chicago
Best Actor (tie)
Daniel Day Lewis -
Gangs of New York
Jack Nicholson -
About Schmidt
Best Actress
Julianne Moore -
Far From Heaven
Best Supporting Actor
Chris Cooper -
Adaptation
Best Supporting Actress
Catherine Zeta-Jones -
Chicago
Best Acting Ensemble
Chicago
Best Director
Steven Spielberg -
Catch Me If You Can,
Minority Report
Best Writer
Charlie Kaufman -
Adaptation,
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Best Digital Acting Performance
Gollum -
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Best Young Actor/Actress
Kieran Culkin -
Igby Goes Down
Best Animated Feature
Spirited Away
Best Family Film (live action)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Best Picture Made for Television
Door To Door
Best Documentary
Bowling for Columbine
Best Foreign Language Film
Y Tu Mamá También
Best Song
"Lose Yourself", Eminem -
8 Mile
Best Composer
John Williams -
Catch Me If You Can,
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,
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News
Golden Globe Winners 2003
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Monday, January 20, 2003
The Golden Globe winners are in! It was the night of
Chicago... kind of. The movie got three awards, yet the general consensus is that the awards were evenly splitted among a lot of movies, mainly of Miramax property. The studio got 8 out of 13 movie awards. Pretty impressive. Surprises? Sure! Nicole Kidman's win was a shocker. It was Julianne's race to lose! And screenplay honors for
About Schmidt were not really expected. Then again it was a good show and there's a lot to analyze regarding what this'll do for the Oscars. We'll see...
BEST PICTURE - DRAMA
The Hours
BEST PICTURE - COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Chicago
BEST DIRECTOR
Martin Scorsese -
Gangs of New York
BEST ACTOR - DRAMA
Jack Nicholson -
About Schmidt
BEST ACTOR - COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Richard Gere -
Chicago
BEST ACTRESS - DRAMA
Nicole Kidman -
The Hours
BEST ACTRESS - MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Renee Zellweger for
Chicago
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Chris Cooper - Adaptation
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Meryl Streep -
Adaptation
BEST SCREENPLAY
Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor for
About Schmidt
BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
Talk to Her (Spain)
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Elliot Goldenthal -
Frida
BEST SONG
"The Hands That Built America" (U2) -
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Box Office Results
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Monday, January 20, 2003
The kangarro made it!!!
Kangaroo Jack had a surprisingly strong debut which no one saw coming. The rest of the list stayed moderately the same, with new releases doing ok and
The Hours entering the top 10 the same weekend it won the Golden Globe for Best Drama Picture. Good timing!
- Kangaroo Jack - $17.6M, $17.6M total
- National Security - $15.7M, $15.7M total
- Just Married - $12.4M, $34M total
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - $11.3M, $298.9M total
- Catch Me If You Can - $11.3M, $135M total
- Chicago - $8M, $27.7M total
- A Guy Thing
- $7.1M, $7.1M total - About Schmidt - $6.2M, $30.1M total
- The Hours - $4.7M, $7.4M total
- Two Weeks Notice - $4.1M, $85M total
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Producer Guild Nominations 2003
- Posted by
- Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
- News date
- Friday, January 17, 2003
The Producers Guild announced their nominations. Don't forget that the film that wins this Award year by year, usually goes on to get the Best Picture Oscar.
Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures:
Adaptation. - Columbia/ Sony Pictures Ent.
Chicago - Miramax
Gangs of New York - Miramax
My Big Fat Greek Wedding - IFC Films
Road to Perdition - Dreamworks / SKG
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - New Line Cinema
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January, oh January!
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Friday, January 17, 2003
Quite a slow season in Hollywood my friends. With awards season in its hottest momentum, studios keep releasing those movies they don't feel very proud right now. This weekend's releases include:
A Guy Thing - Jason Lee, Julia Stiles and Selma Blair star in this teen comedy about bachelor parties and infidelities. Seems the movie is not good enough to deserve recommendation, but fans of the stars should be pleased.
National Security - Martin Lawrence and Steve Zahn explode on the screen as partners who don't like each other in this already tired formula that is supposed to be funny, but to judge from reviews, just isn't!
Kangaroo Jack - Jerry O'Connell and Anthony Anderson star along Kangaroo Jack in this Jerry Bruckheimer action comedy that is said to be a disaster. No wonder.
The Hours - The critically-acclaimed film starring Julianne Moore, Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep expands nationwide today. You better watch it folks, since it's said to be one of the main players at this Sunday's Globes and is going to get a lot of Oscar noms. Besides, what a cast!!!
So there you go. Have fun this weekend!
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Review
Dolores Claiborne
- Director
- Taylor Hackford
- Year
- 1995
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- Review date
- Thursday, January 16, 2003
It’s no secret that even though I have read none of his books I am a fan of Stephen King, namely of movies based on his dramatic novels. Over the years many prestigious filmmakers have brought his stories to the big screen, almost always with great effect, yet
Dolores Claiborne was the first of these adaptations I ever saw and it is still my favorite. I consider the movie to be one of the most effective dramatic thrillers of modern times. Period.
Selena (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is an unhappy reporter who is forced to come back to Maine, where she grew up, when her mother Dolores (Kathy Bates) is accused of murdering her employer (Judy Parfitt) of many years. Detective John Macky (Christopher Plummer) and Constable Frank Stamshaw (John C. Reilly) are following the case closely, but there’s more than meets the eye in this story of secrets and resentment.
There’s always something wonderful about movies that work on different levels.
Dolores Claiborne is the perfect example of that. Rarely is a movie able to pull off both drama and suspense in such high-fashion, yet director Taylor Hackford does it admirably.
There’s the story of Dolores and Selena, a story so sad that Selena has turned into a woman in the verge of alcoholism and is almost dependent on pills. Selena blames her mother for all the damage, especially for the death of her father in what a jury once called an accident. Yet little does she remember about her childhood and the way she starts to find out the truth is simply heart-breaking. Is her mother the sociopath everyone seems to think she is, or is she a woman just driven by circumstances that have more to do with her heart?
So the movie is sad and touching, but it’s also quite suspenseful. Little by little we start to learn, along with Selena, what really happened both when she was a child and now that her mother lived with her commanding employer. There’s flashbacks all the time that are always interesting and keep the movie going forward. The two parallel stories are equally intriguing and nerve-wracking. Besides, the way the movie is shot is simply gorgeous. Credit should be given to cinematographer Gabriel Beristain, who did a wonderful job with the look of it all. And since we’re given credit to people, it’s also important to mention Danny Eflman’s haunting score. Wonderful.
Dolores Claiborne is a movie that grabs you at the beginning and never lets go until the end. A movie directed by a guy who knows about storytelling and that never ceases to entertain.
Then again, even if the movie had been a disaster, it could still be watchable because of one tiny detail: Kathy Bates’ performance. I still look back and don’t understand why this wonderful actress wasn’t recognized as much as she deserved for this role. I consider it to be one of the most underrated performances of all-time, because she’s simply masterful, showing the pain, the wit, the strength, the love, the dignity of Dolores. She just excels at every scene while surrounded by a great supporting cast.
First-rate filmmaking here.
“Sometimes being a bitch is all a woman has to hold on to.”
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Review
The Boys from Brazil
- Director
- Franklin J. Schaffner
- Year
- 1978
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
- Review date
- Wednesday, January 15, 2003
Decades after World War II, small groups of Nazis still gather to produce schemes in order to maintain the spirit alive; other groups still fight these people. This movie tells the story of Dr. Josef Mengele (Gregory Peck), a psychotic scientist who performed genetic experiments back then and still does, and Ezra Lieberman (Laurence Olivier), a Jewish Nazi-hunter who follows his track. Mengele plans to reproduce Adolf Hitler more than once, through cloning… Is that possible??
Absorbing tale, based upon the Ira Levin novel, certainly looks more realistic today than it did when released, but still it drags towards the unbelievable. In the end, it all seems like a caricature of people still obsessed with the past, and at that level, it’s pretty good. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t take itself that lightly, and tries to manage a serious mood throughout.
The performances, however, are really good: Peck truly scary as the villain, young Jeremy Black haunting as the “boy”; James Mason has a short role that doesn’t let him shine. Laurence Olivier absolutely steals the show (in fact, he’s the main interest of the movie) as the aging Nazi-hunter who’s about to lose his cause… or is he?
Harmless fun; a must for fans of Olivier.
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Review
Catch Me If You Can
- Director
- Steven Spielberg
- Year
- 2002
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
- Review date
- Monday, January 13, 2003
Young Frank Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio) runs away from home when his parents announce they’re about to divorce, and finds himself in the need of making a couple of small cons to survive as he has no money or way of living. One thing leads to another and in no time he becomes an impressive con artist with millions of dollars stolen through charm, wit and brains. He easily impersonates a pilot, a doctor and a lawyer… and he’s not easy to catch, either!
FBI Agent Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks), specialized in bank frauds, makes it his personal goal to catch the kid. Two lonely men they are, and while playing a cat-and-mouse game, they also become quite fond of each other… can this tale have a happy ending?
Surprisingly effective, enormously entertaining movie by Steven Spielberg,
Catch Me If You Can is quite incredibly based on fact, though novelized for extra entertainment, and allegedly lessening the unappealing details. The story could fall towards the comedy but goes for the poignancy and the drama when needed, making up for a riotous trip with profound moments.
Christopher Walken plays Frank’s father in what is one of his best roles to date, and one of his most appealing. He manages to transmit his own suffering while never forgetting his will to fight. Tom Hanks brings good support, but we’ve seen him like this before; DiCaprio, however, shines and fills the screen with energy and passion, in every phase and face of his character, from a carefree teenager to a self-conscious and self-dependant, um, teenager! There’s evolution going on here, people, and of the best type. Such a character can only be credible if met in real life or played by a very talented actor—DiCaprio did it! Other standouts are Amy Adams, as a girl Frank falls in love with, Martin Sheen, hilarious as her father, and Nathalie Baye as Frank’s mother. And watch out for that one scene with Jennifer Garner, wow!!
The score by John Williams suits the mood, from a fun theme concerning the cat-and-mouse game (especially fun in the opening credits), to a poignant one when the tale meets its sad side. The cinematography by Janusz Kaminski captures the essence of the 60s, aided by gorgeous costumes and places, all in all making this a piece of nostalgia.
One of the best modern films by Steven Spielberg… not to be missed!
“Sometimes it’s easier to live the lie.”
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Box Office Results
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Monday, January 13, 2003
Just Married proved that critics don't really have a handle of what happens at the box office. At least sometimes. The movie premiered quite strongly amidst a very crowded maketplace.
Antwone Fisher,
Adaptation and
Chicago continued to do extremely good in their expansions, while
Narc wasn't that lucky.
Expect some movement next weekend as several new releases hit theaters and the Golden Globes ceremony takes place.
- Just Married - $18M, $18M total
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - $14.9M, $283.6M total
- Catch Me If You Can - $14.8M, $119.5M total
- Two Weeks Notice - $6.7M, $78.8M total
- About Schmidt - $6.2M, $21.4M total
- Chicago - $5.6M, $17M total
- Maid in Manhattan - $5M, $83.7M total
- Gangs of New York - $5M, $55M total
- Antwone Fisher - $3.8M, $10.4M total
- Adaptation - $2.9M, $9.4M total
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2003 kicks in!
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Friday, January 10, 2003
It is the first weekend of 2003 in which a new release is hitting theaters. Lots of expansion also go hand in hand with it, so keep reading...
Just Married - Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy headline this comedy about a couple trying to have sex in their honeymoon. Not the smartest of premises, and not the smartest of movies. Reviews are deadful.
Antwone Fisher - Denzel Washington directs and stars in this drama about a psychiatrist who helps a young man heel his wounds from the past. Critics are loving it and so are the crowds who've seen it, so that makes it a must!
Narc - Jason Patric and Ray Liotta star in this critically-acclaimed cop thriller which Tom Cruise executive produced when he saw it early last year and liked it so much he wanted his name on it. It's said to be good.
Meanwhile, if you can find them in a theater near you, check out
Adaptation and
25th Hour, two movies receiving great accolades and a lot of buzz.
Have fun!
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Review
The World According to Garp
- Director
- George Roy Hill
- Year
- 1982
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- Review date
- Thursday, January 09, 2003
I love quirky characters. And I love movies about them.
The World According to Garp is one of them. It is a movie based on a John Irving novel that is both intelligent and funny. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Here’s the rundown.
T.S. Garp (Robin Williams) was conceived in quite an unorthodox manner: his mother (Glenn Close), a nurse helping wounded men in a time of war, wanted a kid but no father for him, so she used a dying man who used to get an erection all the time and got in top of him. You figure out the rest. This anecdote is just the starting point in Garp’s life, which goes from being a kid, to a husband, a father, a friend and above all a son.
George Roy Hill’s movie is somewhat of a rarity. At first sight you could think it’s a simple, yet twisted, comedy about the life of a man surrounded by rather bizarre people. He tries to bring a sense of normalcy to his life at every turn, yet life is not as easy or predictable, so the paths he takes will bring him to some unexpected points. His mother is always present whatever he does and that’s a story worth following on its own. Through his mother, Garp meets transsexual Roberta (John Lithgow), who befriends him and his loved one (Mary Beth Hurt) and plays an important role in their lives.
The World According to Garp is also a satire, a look at human behavior with a sharp wit. The movie tries to be a lot, that’s for sure. It works quite well as an epic look at one man’s life, but sometimes the movie loses some focus and does not come across as clearly as it should. Despite that, there’s never a dull moment or a boring one. This is one extraordinary life worthy of being told.
Acting-wise the movie is flawless. Glenn Close easily steals the movie. Not only is her character the most interesting one, but she brings it to life with extraordinary pizzazz. A young Robin Williams is also excellent as this troubled man trying to be himself in a world that isn’t always what he thinks it is. John Lithgow provides funny and touching support as well.
Watch out for the opening credits sequence. It’s quite hilarious!
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Review
The Last Voyage
- Director
- Andrew L. Stone
- Year
- 1960
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
- Review date
- Wednesday, January 08, 2003
A luxurious cruise ship, which is just about to be dismantled due to its age, finds its destiny earlier when everything in it starts to fail and the voyage ends in tragedy. As the ship slowly sinks, we see the drama of the crew members
and the passengers, all of whom are forced to deal with a quite unexpected situation.
This film, notable for being an early disaster movie, in which a real ship was actually sunk in order to gain realism, is exactly that: a precursor, an experiment of a genre that was to be exploited in the future. Back then, it was probably more exciting than it is now, but I don’t think it was very much. The very realistic look kind of reduces its impact, for a real ship is mundane and one composed by various sets is unlimited. Still, I am sure this film influenced the genre drastically.
The main subplots of the movie involve a married couple of passengers (Robert Stack and Dorothy Malone), and their small daughter (Tammy Marihugh). An explosion inside the ship traps the wife in their stateroom, so the husband makes every possible effort to save her, while the crew members are busy controlling the damage. The pain of the wife truly makes up for some terrible moments, especially when dealing with her daughter (despite the annoying performance of the girl). In the meantime, the husband fills the screen with tension and action (and suffering, too). Thus the film has strong emotions to spare.
The Captain of the ship, played by George Sanders, goes through various phases while seeing his world collapse. Everything he lived for is suddenly sinking. Sanders plays the part with bravura and makes up for some quite poignant moments.
The better moments, however, belong to Stack and a black crew member, played by Woody Strode. Their alliance is heart-breaking, as is the final shot involving them.
Not a must-see, to be sure, but interesting.
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Review
Superman
- Director
- Richard Donner
- Year
- 1978
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- Review date
- Tuesday, January 07, 2003
As a big fan of the
Batman franchise and of the
Spider-Man (2002) movie it seemed unforgivable that I had never seen
Superman. Finally I got the chance and I couldn’t be happier, because that guilty feeling has gone away and because now I’m also a fan of this super-hero.
The movie tells the epic story of how a little boy from planet Krypton is sent to planet Earth by his father Jor-El (Marlon Brando) to save him from an imminent death. Soon the boy is adopted by a loving couple in Smallville, where he lives until he grows up to learn more about the world and himself. He then moves to Metropolis, where he becomes Superman while masquerading as a shy reporter for the Daily Planet and falls in love with co-worker Lois Lane (Margot Kidder).
There are a lot of things I loved about this movie and a lot of things I didn’t like as much. Let me start with the bad and culminate with the good, an allegory I also found present in the movie. You see, I didn’t really like the first two segments of this picture. I felt the scenes in Krypton could’ve been much more touching, but instead we got an annoying Marlon Brando cameo that made me feel nothing. On the other hand I felt the Smallville scenes were too cold as well. No real heart there despite the forced attempts to make us care. These are quite talky scenes that stretch until the North Pole sequence which is visually impressive but emotionally shallow.
The Metropolis stuff is by far the best. Using a seriocomic approach that works quite well we meet the grown-up Clark Kent, a man you would never believe could transform into a super-hero. A triangle is formed there between Clark Kent, his alter-ego and Lois Lane that is quite touching and exciting. The date scene is especially gratifying.
But while love is in the air, Superman must also face evil in the form of Lex Luthor, a ridiculously silly Gene Hackman. The character may not be strong or scary enough, but his actions certainly propel the movie into an eye-popping climax that manages to be tense and adventurous at the same time.
Amazing visual effects and a wondrous John Williams score help to achieve the immense feeling of awe.
Christopher Reeve makes a terrific Clark Kent/Superman while Margot Kidder does her job as playful and impressionable Lois Lane.
A fun movie!
“You’ve got me? Who’s got you?”
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Review
Mean Streets
- Director
- Martin Scorsese
- Year
- 1973
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
- Review date
- Monday, January 06, 2003
Small-time hood Charlie (Harvey Keitel) is an Italian-American who struggles to keep his values despite the activities and people that surround him in Little Italy, N.Y.C. Robert De Niro is Johnny Boy, an irresponsible guy who thinks of the present only. Charlie’s friendship with Johnny, his relationship with Johnny’s cousin Teresa (Amy Robinson), his attraction to a black woman, and his dirty businesses with his uncle and other partners, make his conflict quite harsher. The portrait of his misadventures is fascinating.
In fact, this is one of Scorsese’s best, and a masterpiece. The raw dialogue and the performances are absolutely credible and realistic, aided by striking shots and editing. No flaw can be found technically or artistically, resulting in a stomach-wrenching experience. The atmosphere is so vivid, that some consider this to be the quintessential New York City streets movie, and with reason.
Don’t miss this early teaming of Scorsese, De Niro and Keitel.
“You don't make up for your sins in church. You do it in the streets. You do it at home. The rest is bullshit and you know it.”
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News
Conrad L. Hall dies at 76
- Posted by
- Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
- News date
- Monday, January 06, 2003
Over 40 years of working magic in the screen gradually put Conrad L. Hall in a place anyone would wish: his work as cinematographer being continuously acclaimed, awards given out along with high praises, and quite fine films to work in. Even now, his latest film is receiving lots or praise, being his own work one of its most valuable aspects:
Road to Perdition (2002). He worked before with director Sam Mendes in
American Beauty (1999), for which he won his second Oscar, the first being for
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) 30 years earlier.
Hall died Saturday of complications of bladder cancer. He was 76.
Other memorable works include
The Professionals (1966),
Cool Hand Luke (1967),
In Cold Blood (1967),
The Day of the Locust (1975) and
Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993).
The screen has lost now one of its brighter lights… Rest in peace, Conrad L. Hall.
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Box Office Results
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Sunday, January 05, 2003
There were no real changes at the box office this weekend. The top four movies remained in the same position as no new wide releases opened in theaters. There were, though, two successful expansions that proved to be happy news for the studios that are promoting them for awards this season. Here's the full list:
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - $25.6M, $261.6M total
- Catch Me If You Can - $21.3M, $97.6M total
- Two Weeks Notice - $11.6M, $69.2M total
- Maid in Manhattan - $9M, $76.7M total
- About Schmidt - $8.7M, $12.2M total
- Gangs of New York - $7.4M, $47.1M total
- Drumline - $5.6M, $47.8M total
- The Wild Thornberrys Movie - $5.5M, $31.5M total
- Chicago - $5M, $9.2M total
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - $4.5M, $251.9M total
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News
Chicago Film Critics Nominations 2003
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Sunday, January 05, 2003
It is the turn of the Chicago Film Critics to unveil their nominations for what they considered the best of 2002 in film. Here they are!
BEST PICTURE
About Schmidt
Adaptation
Far From Heaven
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The Pianist
BEST DIRECTOR
Paul Thomas Anderson for
Punch-Drunk Love
Todd Haynes for
Far From Heaven
Peter Jackson for
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Alexander Payne for
About Schmidt
Roman Polanski for
The Pianist
Martin Scorsese for
Gangs of New York
BEST ACTOR
Adrien Brody for
The Pianist
Nicolas Cage for
Adaptation
Hugh Grant for
About a Boy
Daniel Day-Lewis for
Gangs of New York
Jack Nicholson for
About Schmidt
BEST ACTRESS
Salma Hayek for
Frida
Nicole Kidman for
The Hours
Diane Lane for
Unfaithful
Julianne Moore for
Far From Heaven
Renee Zellweger for
Chicago
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Chris Cooper for Adaptation
Willem Dafoe for Auto Focus
Alfred Molina for Frida
Paul Newman for
Road to Perdition
Dennis Quaid for
Far From Heaven
John C. Reilly for
Chicago
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Kathy Bates for
About Schmidt
Patricia Clarkson for
Far From Heaven
Julianne Moore for
The Hours
Emily Mortimer for
Lovely and Amazing
Meryl Streep for
Adaptation
BEST SCREENPLAY
Paul Thomas Anderson for
Punch-Drunk Love
Peter Hedges and Chris Weitz & Paul Weitz for
About a Boy
Todd Haynes for
Far From Heaven
Charlie & Donald Kaufman for
Adaptation
Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor for
About Schmidt
BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (Canada)
8 Women (France)
Spirited Away
Talk to Her (Spain)
Y Tu Mamá También (Mexico).
BEST DOCUMENTARY
ABC Africa
Bowling for Columbine
The Comedian
The Kid Stays in the Picture
Standing in the Shadows of Motown
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Gangs of New York
Road to Perdition
Minority Report
Far From Heaven
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Far From Heaven
Punch-Drunk Love
The Hours
Spirited Away
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
MOST PROMISING PERFORMER
Gael Garcia Bernal for
Y Tu Mamá También and
The Crime of Father Amaro
Eminem for
8 Mile
Ryan Gosling for
The Believer and
Murder by Numbers
Maggie Gyllenhaal for
Secretary and
Adaptation and
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Derek Luke for
Antwone Fisher
MOST PROMISING FILMMAKER
Henry Bean for
The Believer
George Clooney for
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Dylan Kidd for
Roger Dodger
Zacharias Kunuk for
Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner
Bill Paxton for
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News
National Society of Film Critics Awards 2003
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Sunday, January 05, 2003
The National Society of Film Critics has just announced their 2002 winners. The groups is comprised of some of the most important and influential critics of the country. Usually their choices are considered somewhat offbeat, but this year they opted for movies and performances that are also getting recognition at the other groups and that will likely end up figuring in the Academy Awards. As of now, good for Polanski!
BEST PICTURE
The Pianist
Runners-up:
Y Tu Mamá También
Talk to Her
BEST DIRECTOR
Roman Polanski,
The Pianist
Runners-up:
Pedro Almodovar,
Talk to Her
Alfonso Cuarón,
Y Tu Mamá También
BEST ACTOR
Adrien Brody,
The Pianist
Runners-up:
Michael Caine,
The Quiet American
Aurelien Recoing,
Time Out
BEST ACTRESS
Diane Lane,
Unfaithful
Runners-up:
Maggie Gyllenhaal,
Secretary
Isabelle Huppert,
The Piano Teacher
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christopher Walken,
Catch Me If You Can
Runners-up:
Chris Cooper,
Adaptation
Alan Arkin,
Thirteen Conversations About One Thing
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Winner: Patricia Clarkson,
Far From Heaven
Runners-up:
Fiona Shaw,
Triumph of Love
Kathy Bates,
About Schmidt
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Ed Lachman,
Far From Heaven
BEST SCREENPLAY
Ronald Harwood,
The Pianist
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Standing in the Shadows of Motown
BEST FOREIGN FILM
Y Tu Mamá También
Film Heritage Award
Kino International
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News
Angst and murder, the weekend treats!
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Friday, January 03, 2003
I hope you all had a Happy New Year! The first weekend of the year is usually a slow one. No new movies are released and money still comes from the big holiday blockbusters. Then again, it's also the time in which award-worthy movies go a little wider. This weekend it's the turn of two of them who are pretty much getting great reviews all over the place:
About Schmidt: Jack Nicholson and Kathy Bates star in this bittersweet comedy about a depressed man in search of some kind of redemption. The movie has already won a couple of awards and Nicholson is said to be a strong contender for an Oscar. What else do you need to go out and see it? The fact that it's good should help a little.
Chicago: Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, John C. Reilly and many more strutt their stuff in this movie version of the infamous Broadway musical. The movie is said to be fast, funny and visually-impressive. A winner!
So there they are. Have fun at the movies!
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Review
Die Another Day
- Director
- Lee Tamahori
- Year
- 2002
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- Review date
- Thursday, January 02, 2003
Goldeneye was a good movie,
Tomorrow Never Dies was forgettable,
The World Is Not Enough was a mixed treat and now comes
Die Another Day, the best James Bond movie to come in years and easily the best Pierce Brosnan outing as Bond himself to this day.
The plot on this one involves James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) trying to save the world from Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens), a millionaire in control of a lethal satellite. Zao (Rick Yune), his evil henchman, will try to prevent Bond from getting in the way. Meanwhile, Bond meets Jinx (Halle Berry), a mysterious woman who could be helpful while she gets in the way of Miranda Frost (Rosamund Pike), an agent who will help Bond in his quest.
It’s funny, because reading the plot description of
Die Another Day you could say it’s exactly the same as every other Bond movie out there. That would be true, of course, but isn’t that precisely what we love about these movies? We love the usual stuff, yet director Lee Tamahori has done with this movie something quite unusual. He has taken every Bond cliché and put it out there in a twisted manner, with a lot of sense of humor and shaking things up in unpredictable ways that make of this trip a lot more fun that usual.
It also helps that the movie boasts impressive and perfectly-choreographed action scenes. It’s also full of great vistas, whether it’s cold Iceland or warm Cuba. The girls are a lot of fun here. Jinx is almost the equal to Bond, so there’s a lot of fun in that character too. The sexual innuendo is also there, and it’s better than ever. The villains are quite memorable, something rarely found these days. The gadgets are back and renewed. Bond himself has lost none of its spark.
I loved this movie because it worked. It was Bond all right, but the proceedings were actually thrilling. There’s never a dull moment and the dialogue is deliciously witty. I loved the sense of humor of this movie. Everyone seems to be having a lot of fun and Lee Tamahori certainly knew how to bring more energy to an already tired franchise. Just look at the opening credits. They’re extraordinary and like nothing we’ve ever seen in these movies. There’s also a lot of interesting stuff for Bond fanatics. From Jinx’s sexy entry to Q’s laboratory. And that scene with Moneypenny… classic!
Brosnan is excellent as Bond. He stands next to Sean Connery as the best Bonds in the history of cinema. Halle Berry and Rosamund Pike are breathtaking as the latest Bond girls. And Toby Stephens is just the right villain.
No matter how ridiculous the movie may be, it’s also as entertaining as it can get.
“Well, there’s a name to die for!”
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Review
Strange Days
- Director
- Kathryn Bigelow
- Year
- 1995
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
- Review date
- Wednesday, January 01, 2003
Towards the end of the 20th century, a new kind of illegal merchandise fills the streets of Los Angeles: “clips” of people’s experiences, recorded directly from the mind of those who lived them, capturing their feelings and emotions as well as the images and sounds of the moment. Ex-cop Lenny Nero (Ralph Fiennes) is now one of the main hustlers who traffic the clips; he tries, however, to maintain the business as clean as possible. In the final day of 1999, Nero’s about to uncover an atrocious crime and a possible conspiracy involving the police and some of his clients.
Extravagant and extreme mixture of bleak future and thriller, with undertones of comedy. Ralph Fiennes leads the cast with unlimited charisma, causing both sadness and hilarity all the time. Angela Bassett is very precise as his friend and guardian angel. Other standouts of the cast are Juliette Lewis as Nero’s ex-girlfriend with whom he’s obsessed, Michael Wincott as her new boyfriend, Vincent D’Onofrio as one of the psycho cops and Glenn Plummer in a short but electrifying role as a doomed black singer. Tom Sizemore, as Nero’s best friend, is ok, if limited by the script.
The atmosphere of the movie makes this a unique piece, for it shows the horror of doomsday in the present day. Much of the hype is owed to James Cameron, conceiver, co-writer and producer of this film. Director Bigelow speaks the same language and does a great job. Bassett is one more of Cameron’s heroines, and great too.
Perhaps the best aspect of the movie, besides the humor of Fiennes’ character, are the scenes where the audience “lives” the clips. The feeling of a first-person experience lived by someone else is unusual for a movie and we surely get the feeling of virtual reality. I won’t hesitate to call this a triumph. My recommendation is to watch this movie with a surround sound system, to magnify the feeling.
Watch out for the final scene… it’s a wow!
“Are we impressed yet?”
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Groucho wrote at 1/28/2003 2:41:41 PM:
Morris wrote at 1/28/2003 1:41:29 PM:
I'm so happy for Salma and Alfred!!! This is just what they needed to generate even more buzz. Meryl's move wasn't a smart one, but it's quite possible we'll see her at the Oscars competing for "Adaptation". Now, are Richard Gere and Queen Latifah REALLY on their way to an Oscar. Unbelievable, but they must be good!Move on, because "Chicago" is unstoppable!