“Death Race,” starring Jason Statham and based on Roger Corman’s 1975 cult classic “Death Race 2000”, is slick, simple and satisfying (although very violent). In 2012, shady corporations have taken over the prison system and reap huge profits by conducting pay-per-view gladiator-type contests among the prisoners. On Terminal Island, where the worst of the worst prisoners participate in the popular Death Race, Warden Hennessey (Joan Allen) has a problem. Her driver, a mask-wearing psychopath named Frankenstein, has been killed. In an effort to keep the ratings high, Hennessey wants to replace Frankenstein with Jensen Ames (Statham), a professional racecar driver. Framed for the murder of his wife, Ames is sent to Terminal Island where he is offered Frankenstein’s place. The prize? Win the race and go free. However, Ames discovers that Hennessey is responsible for his wife’s death and revenge becomes more important than freedom. Of course, Ames has a few allies to help him in his quest.
“Death Race” is total action, vehicular mayhem at its best, so plot and character development are not high priorities for director Paul W. S. Anderson. The plot consists mainly of the three races that comprise the Death Race and gives Anderson an opportunity to ‘do away’ with the other drivers in creatively violent ways before focusing on the prime conflict between Ames and Machine Gun Joe (Tyrese Gibson). This movie is pure Jason Statham and Joan Allen’s ice queen warden adds a touch of class. "Death Race" offers a tough guy you can root for and a villain whose demise you can cheer. 8/21/08
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
The Longshots - 2 1/2 smiles
“The Longshots” is based on the true story of Jasmine Plummer, who, at age eleven, became the first female to play in Pop Warner football in its 56-year history. Yes, it’s another underdog sports story. Yes, it follows a predictable plot. Yes, it manipulates your emotions. Yes, I liked it anyway. Studious Jasmine (Keke Palmer), who is picked on by the popular crowd at school, is unhappy when her mother asks her Uncle Curtis (Ice Cube) to watch her after school while her mother works. Curtis, a former high school football star, has lost his job at the local factory and spends his days drinking beer and watching the local Pop Warner football team practice. When he gets Jasmine to play catch with him, the rest is history.
“The Longshots” is a genuinely affecting Cinderella story in spite of the predictability of the story. And Ice Cube and Keke Palmer have enough skill to make their characters interesting. Curtis’s grouchy exterior hides a warm heart and Jasmine’s shyness conceals a need to be accepted by her peers. 8/22/08
“The Longshots” is a genuinely affecting Cinderella story in spite of the predictability of the story. And Ice Cube and Keke Palmer have enough skill to make their characters interesting. Curtis’s grouchy exterior hides a warm heart and Jasmine’s shyness conceals a need to be accepted by her peers. 8/22/08
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Tropic Thunder - 3 smiles
One of the best things about “Tropic Thunder,” a spoof about movie making, is Robert Downey, Jr. He plays Australian method actor Kirk Lazarus who has been cast in a big budget Vietnam flick opposite action star Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller), obese comedian Jeff "Fats" Portnoy (Jack Black) and rapper-turned-actor Alpha Chino (Brandon T. Jackson). The four are dropped into Southeast Asia for some guerrilla filming and become involved with a vicious drug lord before they are rescued.
One of the interesting twists in “Tropic Thunder” is that Downey plays a white actor who has been cast to play an African American character. And because Lazarus is a true method actor, he has undergone a radical medical procedure to darken his skin. Stiller’s script makes it clear that the joke isn’t on African Americans but on Lazarus who believes that darkening his skin and reciting lines from “The Jeffersons” will make him authentic enough for a role he shouldn’t have in the first place. Another topic ripe for satire is the way top Hollywood actors view playing a disabled character as a direct route to an Oscar. Lazarus’s analysis of why Tugg’s movie “Simple Jack” was a flop is hilarious. And again, Tugg Speedman is the butt of the joke, not the mentally disabled. And finally, Tom Cruise’s appearance as a foul-mouthed studio head, who has more hair on his chest and arms than on his head, is amazing, offering a perfect opportunity to satirize those who revere the bottom line.
There are times when “Tropic Thunder” seems to drag during the second half, but director Stiller provides enough pyrotechnics to waken any who may have fallen asleep. This is, after all, a war movie. “Tropic Thunder” deserves to be seen for Downey’s performance alone, another high mark in his resurging career. 8/17/08
One of the interesting twists in “Tropic Thunder” is that Downey plays a white actor who has been cast to play an African American character. And because Lazarus is a true method actor, he has undergone a radical medical procedure to darken his skin. Stiller’s script makes it clear that the joke isn’t on African Americans but on Lazarus who believes that darkening his skin and reciting lines from “The Jeffersons” will make him authentic enough for a role he shouldn’t have in the first place. Another topic ripe for satire is the way top Hollywood actors view playing a disabled character as a direct route to an Oscar. Lazarus’s analysis of why Tugg’s movie “Simple Jack” was a flop is hilarious. And again, Tugg Speedman is the butt of the joke, not the mentally disabled. And finally, Tom Cruise’s appearance as a foul-mouthed studio head, who has more hair on his chest and arms than on his head, is amazing, offering a perfect opportunity to satirize those who revere the bottom line.
There are times when “Tropic Thunder” seems to drag during the second half, but director Stiller provides enough pyrotechnics to waken any who may have fallen asleep. This is, after all, a war movie. “Tropic Thunder” deserves to be seen for Downey’s performance alone, another high mark in his resurging career. 8/17/08
Vicky, Cristina Barcelona - 3 smiles
“Vicky Cristina Barcelona” is Woody Allen’s latest and although it’s been advertised as a comedy, it’s a comedy in the Shakespearean sense, not ha-ha slapstick. “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” is Allen musing about various kinds of love and is sure to generate a lot of conversation. Allen also pays tribute to the beauty of his stars and the Spanish setting. Allen’s voice-over narrator streamlines some of the narrative, thereby eliminating some dialogue, but it is also intrusive. Two young women spend some time in Barcelona, Vicky (Rebecca Hall) to work on her graduate thesis and her best friend Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) to experience life. At an art show they meet handsome Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), an artist who has recently divorced fellow artist Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz). Juan Antonio invites Vicky and Cristina to spend the weekend with him in Oviedo to see the sights, drink wine and make love. Vicky is all caution and disapproval and Cristina is ready to go. Needless to say both fall for him.
When compared to the fiery performances of Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson seems bland, but she certainly is beautiful. Rebecca Hall gives a strong performance as the guarded Vicky. And Javier Bardem……Anyone who can be the scariest villain on the screen (“No Country for Old Men”) and a charismatic lover is certainly versatile. One of the more engaging aspects of this movie is the way the characters interact with each other, with each seeming to represent a kind of love. And this is where your after viewing conversations can become quite interesting. What kind of love does Allen seem to say is important? Which character has learned something about the nature of love? Which character is happy at the end of the movie? “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” is certainly worth seeing. 8/15/08
When compared to the fiery performances of Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson seems bland, but she certainly is beautiful. Rebecca Hall gives a strong performance as the guarded Vicky. And Javier Bardem……Anyone who can be the scariest villain on the screen (“No Country for Old Men”) and a charismatic lover is certainly versatile. One of the more engaging aspects of this movie is the way the characters interact with each other, with each seeming to represent a kind of love. And this is where your after viewing conversations can become quite interesting. What kind of love does Allen seem to say is important? Which character has learned something about the nature of love? Which character is happy at the end of the movie? “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” is certainly worth seeing. 8/15/08
Star Wars: The Clone Wars - 1 1/2 smiles
As a fan of the original Star Wars trilogy with so-so interest in the next three prequel films, I was thoroughly disappointed with “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.” The story was miniscule, the characters uninvolving, and the action repetitious. “The Clone Wars” takes place between “Attack of the Clones” and “Revenge of the Sith” and is a pilot for an animated television series, which explains why it is not live action. The basic plot involves Anakin Skywalker (Matt Lanter) recovering the kidnapped son of Jabba the Hut. To assist him, Anakin has a padwan (apprentice), Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein), eager to prove her worth as a Jedi. C3PO and R2D2 make brief appearances as do Yoda and Obi-Wan. We learn nothing new about Anakin; we do not see any aspects of his personality that even hint that he will become the ruthless Darth Vader. (Cartoons are pretty superficial, after all.) There is, however, plenty of action: droids and clone troopers blast each other again and again and again. Nonetheless, children will probably like “The Clone Wars” and after you’ve taken them to see this movie, you can stop at McDonald’s and buy them a Happy Meal, which includes a ‘Clone Wars’ toy. Adults should skip this movie. 8/17/08
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Swing Vote - 2 1/2 smiles
“Swing Vote” is a gentle (perhaps too gentle) political satire and heartwarming family drama. However, these two elements don’t always mesh and I wanted Kevin Costner’s slacker dad character to grow up sooner than he does. Costner plays beer-swilling single dad Bud and it’s clear from the beginning that his daughter Molly (Madeline Carroll) is the adult in this family. When Bud fails to show up to vote, Molly sneaks in to vote in his place. However, the voting machine malfunctions and Bud’s vote is not counted. The presidential election results in a tie and the single vote yet to be cast, the swing vote, is, you guessed it, Bud’s. The situation is now ripe for satire from political ads to the candidates themselves doing whatever they must to win Bud’s vote. Suddenly the Republicans favor gay marriage and the Democrats reject abortion. And at the heart of the movie is Bud’s relationship with Molly, who wants her father to act like a responsible adult. When Molly’s embarrassment and distress finally registers with Bud, he decides to change. The supporting cast, which includes Kelsey Grammer, Dennis Hopper, Nathan Lane, Stanley Tucci, Paula Patton, is solid, but it’s 12-year old Madeline Carroll who shines. “Swing Vote” is likable enough with a good message (every vote counts), some meaningful family drama, and occasional political barb. 8/3/08
Man on Wire - 3 smiles
“Man on Wire,” an intriguing documentary that combines interviews, still photos and recreations, tells the story of Philippe Petit's 1974 high wire walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. At the time this event transpires, the World Trade Center was a relatively new complex, but Petit had been obsessed with them for years because, as a teen, he had seen an artist’s rendering. His ultimate goal became to stretch a wire across the two towers and traverse it. For practice, Petit performed his high wire act at Notre Dame Cathedral and on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. A great deal of preparation was needed to achieve Petit’s dream, which involved getting all of his equipment, including a 450-pound cable, into a heavily secured building. Petit also had to consider the weather at the top of the towers. There had to be enough visibility for people below to see him and not too windy that he would be blown off the wire.
A charismatic Petit, who speaks fluent English, narrates this tale of daring do and although there is no actual footage of the central event, only still photos, there is plenty of film of Petit’s preparation. In addition, there are interviews with his accomplices, including his girlfriend, and a few Americans who became involved. They provide additional insight into an amazing event connected to the Twin Towers that is not about death and destruction. For whatever reason, director James Marsh does not include Petit’s reaction to the demise of the site of his greatest triumph. Nonetheless, “Man on Wire” recounts one of the most audacious stunts of the 20th century in dramatic detail. 8/2/08
A charismatic Petit, who speaks fluent English, narrates this tale of daring do and although there is no actual footage of the central event, only still photos, there is plenty of film of Petit’s preparation. In addition, there are interviews with his accomplices, including his girlfriend, and a few Americans who became involved. They provide additional insight into an amazing event connected to the Twin Towers that is not about death and destruction. For whatever reason, director James Marsh does not include Petit’s reaction to the demise of the site of his greatest triumph. Nonetheless, “Man on Wire” recounts one of the most audacious stunts of the 20th century in dramatic detail. 8/2/08
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor - 1 smile
You have to wonder why this movie was made….other than the obvious reason, to make money. “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor” is tedious and silly and I can’t imagine why anyone would enjoy this movie. At least, with “The Mummy” and “The Mummy Returns,” you had an interesting villain, Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), a strong balance for hero Rick O’Connell (Brendan Fraser) and their interaction provided movie-going fun. Jet Li isn’t imposing enough.
This time around the story takes place in China and the mummy in question is not really a mummy. Emperor Han (Jet Li) has been cursed by the witch Zi Juan (Michelle Yeoh) and, with his men, turned to stone. They wait, entombed, until Alex (Luke Ford) discovers their resting place and releases a scourge upon the world. Luckily Alex’s parents are nearby to assist. With Rick’s son grown up and part of the action, Rick has to share the hero credit, which detracts from some of the enjoyment of the Mummy experience. And Rachel Weisz is definitely missed as Evelyn. Part of the pleasure of the first two Mummy movies is the chemistry between Fraser and Weisz. Sometimes re-casting can work (Maggie Gyllenhaal in “The Dark Knight”) and sometimes it doesn’t. Maria Bello isn’t believable as Evie. Although “Tomb of the Dragon Emperor” is full of CGI action, the film itself is boring. 8/2/08
This time around the story takes place in China and the mummy in question is not really a mummy. Emperor Han (Jet Li) has been cursed by the witch Zi Juan (Michelle Yeoh) and, with his men, turned to stone. They wait, entombed, until Alex (Luke Ford) discovers their resting place and releases a scourge upon the world. Luckily Alex’s parents are nearby to assist. With Rick’s son grown up and part of the action, Rick has to share the hero credit, which detracts from some of the enjoyment of the Mummy experience. And Rachel Weisz is definitely missed as Evelyn. Part of the pleasure of the first two Mummy movies is the chemistry between Fraser and Weisz. Sometimes re-casting can work (Maggie Gyllenhaal in “The Dark Knight”) and sometimes it doesn’t. Maria Bello isn’t believable as Evie. Although “Tomb of the Dragon Emperor” is full of CGI action, the film itself is boring. 8/2/08
Batman: The Dark Knight - 4 smiles
“Batman: The Dark Knight,” co-written and directed by Christopher Nolan and arguably the best superhero movie to date (if not ever), is a prime example of a film with a remarkable script paired with fully realized characters. At the heart of this exceptional story is the conflict between equally matched characters representing good and evil. Although you know that good will ultimately triumph, you’re not sure how and at what cost. And a troubled Bruce Wayne/Batman (Christian Bale) ponders: What steps is he willing to take? Must he become evil to fight evil? And once he crosses over to the dark side of his nature, once he realizes what he is capable of doing, who will he be then?
Much praise has already been directed at Heath Ledger’s quality performance as the Joker. I can only add additional applause. His interpretation of the Joker is one of subtle menace and unhinged bravado and he easily disappears into his role. Look beyond his white clown makeup, his lopsided red scar of a mouth and that crazed whinny laugh of his and you’ll find the heart of a terrorist, one whose single goal is to spread fear and corruption as far as he can. Ledger nails this performance.
“The Dark Knight’s” continued box office success clearly reveals that audiences are making repeat visits to see this movie. With outrageous action sequences, strong acting, and powerful story, “The Dark Knight” is one of the year’s best films. Don’t miss it. 7/20/08
Much praise has already been directed at Heath Ledger’s quality performance as the Joker. I can only add additional applause. His interpretation of the Joker is one of subtle menace and unhinged bravado and he easily disappears into his role. Look beyond his white clown makeup, his lopsided red scar of a mouth and that crazed whinny laugh of his and you’ll find the heart of a terrorist, one whose single goal is to spread fear and corruption as far as he can. Ledger nails this performance.
“The Dark Knight’s” continued box office success clearly reveals that audiences are making repeat visits to see this movie. With outrageous action sequences, strong acting, and powerful story, “The Dark Knight” is one of the year’s best films. Don’t miss it. 7/20/08