Gummi Popcorn

A Few More Changes

2012-01-06T20:35:00.001-07:00

I hope you've had the chance to check out the new Gummi Popcorn YouTube channel. It is growing fast and being updated frequently with tantalizing trailers. So, make sure to check in often. In addition to the new YouTube channel and the obvious change in design, you'll notice a couple of other changes at Gummi Popcorn. Thanks to the wonders of technology, I've taken up the habit of streaming my videos from Netflix. While this format certainly has its share of problems, it does have the overwhelming advantage of convenience. As one of the aforementioned downsides of this new format, special features are not available. Therefore, you'll notice the "DVD features" list will no longer appear with each review. Also, as I imagine nobody is terribly interested in whether I sat in the theater with a lap full of popcorn or on my cozy couch with the cat, the "format" details will disappear.

There will remain, however, the all-important "hottie rating", the "alternate recommendation" and the IMDB link at the end of each review. Naturally, you'll still find the genuine wit and quality insights you've come to know and love baked into each review.

(Feel free to bitch about your problems with Netflix in the comments, btw.)

It's ALIVE!!

2012-01-02T15:45:00.002-07:00

It's been a few years and many life changes since I first started Gummi Popcorn. For a while, I puttered around with various software, trying to find something sparkly and dynamic. On the up side, I've reserved the Gummi Popcorn username on just about every online software I can think of. On the down side, no reviews ever got published and no designs were ever completed. Amazing how absorbing the internet can be. Amazing how time-consuming real life can be.

So, I'm going to attempt to bring this poor thing back to life in one form or another. I really do enjoy writing and I really do like to voice my opinion! For those of you who follow GP on Facebook - thanks!

Facebook Has Eaten This Blog!!

2011-01-05T14:47:00.001-07:00

Starving for more Gummi Popcorn? Well, I imagine you would be, considering there hasn't been a post for ages. :> However, if you'd like your reviews in snack-sized pieces, please follow Gummi Popcorn on Facebook! It's what all the kids are doing these days....

Well, Hello There

2009-08-20T11:20:00.002-06:00

Howdy. Yeah, I know it's been quiet around here. Life is crazy madness. It involves boxes and second jobs and exes. I do have some good news, however. I've finally acquired a hand-me-down laptop and, although it's old and doesn't go online, I do have about 12 new reviews waiting to be published! I've been procrastinating on the latter part because I want to move this site to WordPress. However, I haven't had the chance to do the studying I need to to make things work the way I want. One of the reviews waiting in the wings right now is one for the Harry Potter film that was just released - Half Blood Prince. So, I've got to get moving before that review gets stale.

When I get some content up on the other site, I'll just get gummipopcorn.com to jump there instead of here, so there won't be any need to change your bookmarks or whatever.

A few more prizes went out recently...still catching up with that too. I swear that one of these days I'll get my act together! Really, I will.

Another Round of Awards

2009-05-13T08:18:00.002-06:00

Two more prizes go out today, to unsuspecting winners! Well, I guess you know by now if you're to expect a prize, but I'm doing the delivery guerrilla style! So, nobody knows when they'll get one or where it will show up. I've got a few ideas for the next round of contests, but they will have to wait until I dig myself out of this financial hole I'm in. The current round of prize winners are getting a sneak peek at the new GP site design in addition to assorted goodies. Ugh...got to go do work things now...

And So It Began...

2009-05-08T14:21:00.003-06:00

The first set of prize packages were delivered today for Gummi Award winners! Two medium bag prizes were awarded and one large bag prize. The packages contain a completely random assortment of items and vary completely from one another (aside from the wrapping). The only stipulation is that all large bag prizes contain a DVD movie. So, winners, I hope you're pleased with your packages. Feel free to leave a comment about what you liked, what you didn't like, or submit pictures!!

The next set of prizes will go out next week! Happy Mother's Day!!

Let's Hear It For The Girls

2009-05-05T08:17:00.002-06:00

It's about time to heat things up again here at GP. Gummi Awards prizes will go out this week and I'm feeling the itch to start some new reviews! But, I want to take a moment to see who's still with us out there. So, a fun little question to get everyone playing along:

What is your favorite "girl power" movie?

I'm not talking about "chick flicks" here; I want titles with a little kick-butt. For example, movies like Teeth or Enough. Guys, don't be afraid to answer this one too. We all know tough girls know how to turn the fellas' heads.

My personal favorite? It's Tarantino's Death Proof. It could be because it was filmed (partially, at least) in Austin, TX, it could be because it features badass muscle cars, and it could even be that Zoe Bell is my new idol. Whatever the reason, if you haven't seen it yet, you should!

Now I want to hear from you (in the comments section)! Tell me the title of your favorite "girl power" flick and why you like it!

Good Lord, Is It Over Yet?

2009-04-21T16:32:00.002-06:00

That's it. This is the end. I can't wait anymore!! Hasn't it been ages since The Gummi Awards began? To quote one of the most loathsome comic strips ever, "Good Grief!" Well, I've had it! Prizes for 14 out of the 15 winners will go out starting May 1st. If it ever happens that I get my hands on a copy of Drop Dead Fred, there will be massive celebration and I shall finally complete The Awards announcements. I may just have to break down and buy the damn movie. But, since I've just moved and am completely broke, that'll have to wait too.

Next week, I will be doing some house-sitting for a relative and won't have much to do besides watch and review movies. So - we may finally get the ball rolling around here again!!

News!

2009-03-31T08:40:00.003-06:00

Warner Bros. has announced that it will begin a "burn-to-order" program for many of their films that have not been released on DVD. Here's a link to the news article with some details. You can see Warner's list of archive titles here.

In other news, GP is about to move again, which should be a semi-permanent location. As soon as we're all settled in, things around the site should get rolling again. We would dearly love to finish up the Gummi Award announcements, but there's one hurdle left before that can happen. You see, it's been virtually impossible for us to get ahold of a copy of Drop Dead Fred! Searches at Blockbuster and Hollywood Video have come up short and Netflix refuses to ship it for some reason. It's in our queue, but it never mails out. If you think you can help, or if you have a copy we can borrow, please leave your info in the comments - they will not be published.

Thanks!

Academy Awards Report 2009

2009-02-23T12:45:00.003-07:00

Believe it or not, Gummi Popcorn has not died. It's only been lurking in the shadows for a bit. Due to a massive upheaval of lifestyle and relocations and other drama, it's been rudely shoved to the back burner until the dust settles (which will hopefully be soon!). Rest assured though, new blood will eventually return to inflate the oh-so-critical veins of this here website and the sarcasm and snark will fly once again. So, just to prove we haven't been sleeping (and in case you have been), here's the GP recap of last night's award ceremony.

This year, our host was Hugh Jackman. While it's always difficult not to drool like a maniac when Hugh is in sight, I did feel a little embarrassed for him. It seems that someone at The Academy thought it would be cute to have Wolverhottie prance around and do a few musical numbers. I guess it's a case of Hollywood being jealous of Jackman's time on Broadway. It's not that the man is a terrible singer, but the numbers were poorly planned and even more badly choreographed. Is this The Academy Awards or Saturday Night Live? Have a little class for chrissakes. Even poor Hugh looked like he was thinking of shooting his agent.

Despite a loud, rude and obnoxious crowd at the Oscar party I went to, I miraculously managed to hear snippets of who won what and which hot little hands golden statues went into. Sadly, I haven't managed to get to the theater for most of the nominees this year and Slumdog was at the top of my "must see" list, along with The Wrestler. Predictably, Slumdog Millionaire swept the scene - much like it did at the Golden Globes - and walked away with a total of eight awards (Best Picture, Directing, Music (song & score), Editing, Sound Mixing, Cinematography, and Adapted Screenplay). I love to see small foreign films win big in general. It shows that the industry has an appreciation for culture. What I don't love, is hearing "Thank you, come again" every time someone with an Indian accent stepped up to the podium. That joke was old, I dunno, at least 10 years ago. The same racist jackasses making that comment last night were spreading rumors that Bollywood was moving to Detroit, or some such nonsense. I can't even begin to tell you what's wrong with that statement.

Equally as predictable as the winner of Best Picture, was the winner of Best Supporting Actor; Heath Ledger. While I don't mean to belittle the man's acting skills, it seems that the quickest way to an Academy Award these days is through the grave. Movies like The Dark Knight almost never make it to the awards, just because of the genre. Ledger was great as The Joker, but had he still been alive, there's no way he would have the Oscar for it. The award for Best Actor was achieved by Sean Penn for his role in Milk. His acceptance speech was, by far, the best one of the night. He managed to touch on the gay rights issue, Barak Obama, and get his point across without being long-winded or preachy. Of course, it doesn't hurt that I agreed with everything he said.

The winner for Best Supporting Actress was Penelope Cruz for her role in Vicky Christina Barcelona, which I haven't seen and have no idea if she deserves. Her speech was tearful and heartfelt and it always chokes me up when the award winners seem sincere. I will have to add VCB to my list of must sees. Best Actress in a Leading Role went to Kate Winslet for The Reader. The actress was nearly hyperventilating and who can blame her?

For both the Actor and Actress in a Supporting Role, winners from years past appeared on stage to introduce this year's nominees. It was a nice touch. Two of these presenters were Brodie and DeNiro - two of my ultimate faves!

Of course, one can't discuss The Academy Awards without discussing fashion to some extent. The guys always look the same. It's just suit after suit after suit year after year. I'd love for one actor to wear a kilt or an outfit in any other color than black. I'd settle for charcoal grey even! Snore. The ladies are who everyone focuses on anyhow. What was with the alarming trend of wearing one's drapes as a gown? Jessica Biel had perhaps the most hideous display of this disturbing fashion, but Mary Hart, Heidi Klum, Tilda Swinton and a handful of no-name girlfriends pitched in to. My personal favorite, as far as classy gowns go, was Kate Winslet's dress. It was original, but not tacky.

So, despite being intensely irritated by the company I had during the ceremony, the awards went smoothly. There weren't any horribly flubbed lines, political incorrectness and scandalous wardrobe malfunctions. I went home sober and popped The Fountain into my DVD player, just to get some more Hugh Jackman in before bedtime.

Gummi Award Results: Most Offensive Example of Animal Testing/Cruelty

2009-01-13T11:08:00.002-07:00

Category number nine ("number nine, number nine") in the Gummi Awards was for the movie that displayed the most offensive scenes of animal torture, abuse and otherwise cruel behavior. My original thought was that the 1971 film The Andromeda Strain, with its writhing rat and monkey test subjects, was a solid candidate for the prize. The nominations sent in from our readers were:

Atonement
Cannibal Holocaust
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

I assume that Carrie's nomination for Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was a joke (right, Carrie?). The horse shooting scene in Atonement was unpleasant, of course, but not more than momentary and the creatures do not suffer long. The movie Cannibal Holocaust warns the viewer no less than three times at the outset that it contains scenes of extreme violence and that no editing was performed for the sake of protecting the creators' first amendment rights. "While the production company does not condone such actions, blah blah blah." Several animals in the movie are severely mutilated and tortured to death. It's real and it's sickening. So, the winner of this category's award goes to Carrie for Cannibal Holocaust. I can only hope the people who made this film are all long gone from this Earth.

Gummi Awards Results: Most Abrupt and/or Confusing Ending

2008-12-20T15:07:00.001-07:00

The fifteenth category open to Gummi Award nominations was the one for Most Abrupt and/or Confusing ending. A couple of fantastic films were on the list, making this the most worthwhile category from our perspective. However, out of the three, we didn't find any of them to have a particularly baffling conclusion. American Gangster was solid piece of work by Ridley Scott. Maybe the friendship at the end was unexpected? Gone Baby Gone was also a decent flick. It conjures up some moral dilemma, but isn't remarkably truncated. Maybe what's mind-boggling is that Ben Affleck can actually direct? The only iffy resolution to be found among the three plot lines was the one in Premonition. It's a natural pitfall of stories dealing with time travel or precognition - the paradox. If so-and-so sees the future, does said future become inevitable or flexible? Premonition, even though it's not the best made film ever, wraps itself around the paradox rather well. But, out of the three, we decided that Anastocia's nomination was the most suited to this category. Congrats Anastocia! You win for Premonition!

Gummi Awards Results: Best Geek Sidekick

2008-12-20T15:06:00.002-07:00

Now, it's time to announce the winner of the third category of The Gummi Awards - Best Geek Sidekick. The three nominations were True Lies, Van Helsing and National Treasure. While I'd originally imagined Bleeker (played by Michael Cera) from Juno as a pretty good geeky sidekick, I realize now that he didn't exactly qualify. The label "geek", after all, implies some specialized knowledge of electronics or gadgets or, at the very least, specialized knowledge of some subject above and beyond the normal level. I totally [heart] geeky guys!! To my great joy, someone out there found a fantastic example of geekery in Justin Bartha's portrayal of geek sidekick Riley Poole in National Treasure. That someone, and winner of the large bag prize, is Thanh! Thanks for giving me a new boyfriend (if only in my perverted fantasies).

Gummi Awards Results: Dumbest Blonde

2008-12-20T15:04:00.001-07:00

The fourth category in The Gummi Awards is for the Dumbest Blonde in a film. Now, despite all the platinum in Hollywood, this category ended up with no more than two nominations. This award wasn't waiting around for a pre-concieved winner to appear either. So, no large bag prize was waiting in the wings this time. It's interesting that the woman nominated as the dumbest blonde in Best In Show (Jennifer Coolidge) also plays a supporting role in the other nomination, Legally Blonde. Although the seemingly obvious choice for this category would be the latter, we have to realize that Reese Witherspoon's character gets into Harvard law school completely under her own steam. She doesn't have her rich daddy buy her way in, she doesn't offer up a B.J. to the dean and she doesn't fake her credentials. Considering that gaining admission to said institution isn't something most women accomplish (blonde or otherwise), we can hardly consider Elle Wood "dumb". So, the winner in this category is Carrie for Best in Show (even though there's an even dumber blonde than Coolidge in the movie)!

Gummi Awards Results: Most Creative Ending Credit Sequence

2008-12-20T15:03:00.002-07:00

I always appreciate when movie makers take into consideration how boring the average individual finds the white-on-black scroll of the ending credits. Instead, it too can be used as another creative outlet, adding a special element to leave the audience with as they saunter out of the theater. Jackie Chan, for example, uses the end credits as a chance to show his famous outtakes. When creating this category, I did have one specific film in mind. By far, the most thoroughly entertaining end credits I've seen come at the conclusion of A Series of Unfortunate Events, animated by Jamie Caliri. Given the choice between the two nominees (Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Monsters, Inc.), however, the hands-down winner is Kris with Monsters, Inc. (watch)! Congrats Kris!

Gummi Award Results: Most Inappropriate Musical Sequence

2008-12-18T13:03:00.002-07:00

Skipping to number fourteen, there were two and only two nominations for Most Inappropriate Musical Sequence - This category wasn't one that I'd previously held a favorite for. It was suggested by a friend of mine and, considering how awkward I usually find musical numbers, I thought it would be an excellent category. Out of the two, I have to choose the one that was most out of place - Richard's selection; Almost Famous. While I loathed the majority of the singing in Sweeney Todd, it was expected to hear everyone break out in song.

Gummi Award Results: Most Accurate Book-To-Movie Adaptation

2008-12-17T09:46:00.004-07:00

Half of the winners have been announced so far and Christmas is creeping ever closer. The thirteenth in the series of Gummi Awards will go to the movie with the Most Accurate Book-To-Movie Adaptation. This category required GP not only to view movies, but also to read the written works they were based on. Thank God nobody nominated Crime and Punishment!! There have to be hundreds of movies based on books or short stories. Only three of them made their way to this category's nomination list. The nominees were:

How the Grinch Stole Christmas
The Mist
Perfume

There was the possibility, this time, of winning a large bag prize and if anyone had guessed Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, they would have won it. Terry Gilliam did such a wonderful job of translating Hunter S. Thompson's book for the screen that it's possible to read along with the film! Dialog is word-for-word. However, Patrick Suskind wrote a novel about a man who's olfactory sense was much more acute than his sense of compassion; his sense of humanity. Tom Tykwer had the task of creating a visual sense of smell. Not an easy task, to be sure. The director pulls off this feat, however, and made a very clever film out of Perfume. So, it's Carrie as the winner of the medium bag prize for her nomination. Congrats Carrie!!

Gummi Award Results: Most Crazy-Cool Carpet Design

2008-12-16T08:47:00.003-07:00

Now for Gummi Award number 10, for the Most Crazy-Cool Carpet Design! We were beginning to get nervous, thinking that nobody else notices the carpets in movies. Are we strange? There was absolutely, definitely a certain film flooring in mind when this category was created. Did anyone guess? The nominees were:

Beetle Juice
The Devil's Advocate
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
The Shining

The movie that we were thinking of was....(drum roll)......Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas!! When you're tripping hard in the City of Sin, geometric squiggly patterns are horribly distracting. So, there was no large bag winner this round. However, there is a winner for the medium bag and that winner is.......Michelle for The Shining!! Congrats!!!

Gummi Award Results: Best Scene Involving Food

2008-12-15T09:06:00.004-07:00

Number eight in The Gummi Awards, the category for Best Scene Involving Food, garnered only two nominations. Perhaps having human flesh removed from the menu ruined everyone's appetite for competition? There are a number of fantastic films that involve eating and many that focus entirely on the subject, such as Tampopo, Like Water for Chocolate and Ratatouille. Then there are A Christmas Story, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and American Pie that have memorable edibles. However, choosing between the two nominees, I must lean to the more visually appealing of the two films and choose Carrie's nomination - Pan's Labyrinth (a.k.a. El Laberinto del fauno)- for the medium bag prize.

Gummi Award Results: Most Awkward Moment

2008-12-15T08:44:00.002-07:00

Category number seven of The Gummi Awards was the movie with the Most Awkward Moment. This one was originally intended to glorify the film with the most uncomfortable scene for the characters, rather than the viewer. However, upon closer inspection of the posted description, it appears that intention isn't immediately clear. Our bad. Here's what made our readers squirm:

History of Violence
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Slums of Beverly Hills

Personally, I find "69" to be horribly uncomfortable, but my personal life isn't the issue here! The medium bag prize for the best nomination in the Most Awkward Moment category goes to Michelle for Slums of Beverly Hills!! Yay Michelle!!! There's hardly a moment more embarrassing than being surprised by your dad while dancing to Give Up the Funk and swinging a giant vibrator around.

Gummi Award Results: Best Gratuitous Display of Abdominal Muscles

2008-12-15T08:33:00.003-07:00

The sixth pit stop in a race around the world was...oops....I mean the sixth category in the 2008 Gummi Awards was Best Gratuitous Display of Abdominal Muscles. The five nominees in this oh-so-fun-to-judge category were:

Two for the Money
300
Top Gun
Thelma & Louise
Into the Blue

I have to nod my head at all of the nominees. All had acceptable tummy action. However, when considering drool-factor and the sheer number of glistening abs on display, one stands above all others. The winner of the medium bag prize is Rochelle with 300!

Gummi Award Results: Best Use of Dialog In a Single Scene

2008-12-12T09:40:00.002-07:00

The fifth category (yes, I realize this isn't in order) of The 2008 Gummi Awards was Best Use of Dialog in a Single Scene. This was the only category that closed early, mainly because of the great turnout when it came to nominations. Best Dialog was definitely the most popular category. There were so many fantastic nominations, but none of them hit the mark for my personal favorite. For exceptional character banter, I would have accepted any Quentin Tarantino film for the large bag prize. The man has a way with words. As it was though, I had a very difficult time picking out a single deserving winner. The monologues from The Libertine and V for Vendetta were well crafted. I especially enjoyed the scene in V when the main character introduced himself, using virtually every V word in the dictionary. There was one nomination, however, that holds a special place in my heart (and is truly a dialog). For the medium bag prize in this category, the winner is Carrie with The Princess Bride!

Congrats Carrie!!

Gummi Award Results: Most Nauseating Vomit Scene

2008-12-11T09:03:00.004-07:00

Today's prize will be awarded to the individual who made the best nomination in the Most Nauseating Vomit Scene category. Just two nominations made their way to Gummi Popcorn for this one. Beerfest, sadly, was disqualified because there was no vomit scene to be found in the actual film. GP could find nothing nauseating in the special features either. None of the readers out there managed to guess the film we had in mind when creating this category. Curious? The Most Nauseating Vomit Scene that we recall ever seeing is the endless pool of puppet barf in Team America: World Police. (are you slapping your foreheads now?) Watch, if you dare. So the winner of the medium bag prize by default (not that it wasn't a good suggestion anyway) is Michelle with The Exorcist!

Gummi Award Results: Most Overrated Leading Actor

2008-12-10T10:39:00.003-07:00

Finally, the results are in! We've decided to release the answers "advent-calendar style" and announce one category each day until Christmas. It's our way of saying, "Happy Holidays" or maybe just our way of slow torture. Regardless, today's category is Most Overrated Leading Actor. The nominees were:

Tom Cruise
Russell Crowe
George Clooney

Amazingly, out of all of the leading men out there, only three names made their way to GP. The shocker is that someone managed to guess who it was that I had in mind when I invented this category!!! The winner of the large bag prize for this category is.....Thanh with Tom Cruise! Tom Cruise is unappealing, arrogant, short and a Scientologist (not to mention lacking skillz)!! I'd be more than happy if he never made another film. And by way of illustration, here's an MSN article about our loser...ooops, I meant winner.

Make sure to check in tomorrow to discover our next winner!

Casino Royale (2006)

2008-12-03T14:41:00.005-07:00

Directed by: Martin Campbell
Format: On Demand
Starring: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Judy Dench, Giancarlo Giannini
trailer

I used to adore 007. The first six Connery movies have always been my favorites, but I imagine that I've seen the Roger Moore films several times over as well. When GoldenEye, with Pierce Brosnan, was released, I was excited for the genre to continue. However, I quickly grew tired of the franchise after that. The formula had gotten stale and I just wasn't enough of a die-hard Bond fan to stick around. So, I let Die Another Day, The World is Not Enough and Tomorrow Never Dies slip by practically unnoticed. (In fact, I still haven't seen those three.) I also admit to never having read anything by Ian Fleming, the novelist who created the character. So, although I've seen the majority of James Bond films, I can't hardly call myself a dyed-in-the-wool "fan". A new friend of mine, however, is and convinced me to give Daniel Craig a shot in the famous role.

If the movies had been made in the same order as the books, Casino Royale would have been the first. When the film opens, Bond doesn't even have his "double-O" status yet. When he gets it, he doesn't waste any time following rules. His first mission ends in a dead bomb maker and an explosion that sends an embassy in Uganda up in flames. Then, 007 proceeds to break into M's house, which doesn't make her terribly happy either. But, she seems more concerned about the fact that the bomb maker they were hoping would lead to a major arms dealer is now dead. James isn't flustered. He picks up on the trail again in The Bahamas and eventually follows it to a high-stakes poker game in Montenegro. His goal there will be to beat international terrorism's favorite banker, Le Chiffre, in a game of Texas Hold 'Em. If he loses, Le Chiffre gets away and the British government will have made a 10 million dollar donation to terror.

Casino Royale is set apart from all other Bond movies. Not only has the lead actor changed, but several previously common elements are missing. There are no flirtatious exchanges with Money Penney, for example. She's not even in the film. Also absent is the character Q and his gadgets. Bond's car had a very useful glove box, but there's no fancy introduction and no John Cleese. Both are ingredients I'd always enjoyed before, but was willing to let go - however reluctantly - in favor of fresh footage. Also noticeable is the greatly reduced presence of cheesy one-liners and sexual innuendo. A fond farewell to that!

What isn't missing in this newer film is action. If possible, it's even more amped up than before. One of the very first scenes involved Bond chasing a man through a construction site. I had to pause and re-watch it just to make sure I didn't miss anything. The stunts are fantastic and there's hardly any time at all to catch one's breath. It's almost super-human the way Marvin Campbell (stunt double for Sebastian Foucan) bounces around the set. Mad props to the stunt team! Another staple of the genre, namely beautiful women with unusual names, has also held its ground. This time, however, Bond uncharacteristically falls for one of them.

So, how is Daniel Craig as the new Bond? While I've never really found Craig to be an attractive man, I have to admit that he's got a marble figure in Casino Royale. He's a rougher version of the character; hard core and not afraid to get dirty. At the same time, he also manages the suave side of Bond quite convincingly. The gritty edge that Craig lends to the role is very appealing and refreshing. I was not disappointed. While Sean Connery will always have a special place in my heart, I have to call Craig a close second. James' love interest this time is Vesper Lynd, an accountant played by Eva Green. Green is a more elegant, intelligent "Bond-girl" than most and is strikingly lovely sans makeup. A witty match for Bond, I nonetheless never felt she was entirely trustworthy. The asthma afflicted, bloody-eyed La Chiffre owes his excellent portrayal to chisel-jawed Mads Mikkelsen. While not as dramatically intense as many previous villains, La Chiffre makes up for it in cold, calculating insanity. While the character himself could have used a few more examples of evilness (probably not a a real word), Mikkelsen made my skin crawl.

I whole-heartedly recommend this version (yes, there are others) of Casino Royale to anyone who's become jaded when it comes to movies about British agents with a license to kill. The opening credits kick some serious ass as well, accompanied by Chris Cornell's "You Know My Name". I enjoyed this film so much that I watched it again immediately after the first time. I just hate that Bond's signature card game - Baccarat - is eliminated in favor of Texas Hold 'Em; a game that's a little too "redneck" for my taste. It looks like I'm going to have to see Quantum of Solace now - despite the awful title - since it's the conclusion to this movie. That's right, Casino Royale is also the first 007 two-parter.

Overall Rating: 4 stars
Hottie Rating: 4 stars (Holy chiseled bod, Batman!)

Alternate Recommendation: Dr. No
Official Site
IMDB Page
A Nutshell Review review

Christmas Evil (1980)

2008-12-03T09:07:00.009-07:00

a.k.a. You Better Watch Out
Directed by: Lewis Jackson
Format: On Demand
Starring: Brandon Maggart, Jeffrey DeMunn, Peter Neuman, Joe Jamrog
clip

Christmas is such a major event, celebrated internationally, that it's no surprise the holiday has developed its own sub-genre in the film world. Most of us are familiar with the seasonal classics, like A Christmas Story and It's a Wonderful Life. Those titles were made for the holiday and, like pumpkin pie, are usually enjoyed only once a year. There is an abundance of Christmas comedies, possibly because the time of year is so closely associated with cheer and joy. Bad Santa, Fred Claus and the upcoming Four Christmases immediately spring to mind. Christmas drama also abounds with titles like A Christmas Carol, Miracle on 34th Street and The Nativity Story. However, there is a lesser-known category; the Christmas horror. Being a person who tends to lean toward the darker side of everything anyway, my two current holiday favorites are The Nightmare Before Christmas (big surprise there) and Gremlins (it is to a Christmas movie!). That being said, it surprises me that I haven't seen much more of what the industry has to offer in the way of sugarplum nightmares. Last night, in an attempt to rectify this deficiency, I took a chance on Christmas Evil.

When Harry Stadling was a child, he witnessed his mom and Santa having a little "naughty time" under the Christmas tree. For some reason, it scarred the boy, causing him to be obsessed with the holiday. The middle-aged Harry sleeps in a Santa suit, hums holiday tunes and even works at a toy factory. He spends his off-time spying on the neighborhood children and logging their activities in his volumes of "naughty and nice" records. Not surprisingly, Harry isn't a popular kind of guy. People at work take advantage of him and he's increasingly irritated at the world for failing to grasp the true spirit of his favorite holiday. This year, he's finally had enough. He decides to don a white beard, paint a sleigh on his van and distribute some justice.

Brandon Maggart plays the older, disturbed main character and it's hard to say whether or not he's really a bad guy. Sure, he's a murderer and a weirdo, but as the filmmakers are fond of pointing out, maybe what society really needs is the fear of Santa to remind them to behave. Besides, kids seem to love the guy. I still wouldn't want to sit on his lap. Considering that Christmas Evil is practically a one-man show, Maggart carries it pretty well. He succeeds in being supremely creepy but not entirely loathsome. Harry's older brother Philip is really terrible. He's terrible because his character is such a jerk and terrible because Jeffrey DeMunn does such a poor job in the role. Philip is even less likable than the villain.

There isn't enough room here to describe all of the aspects of this movie that make no sense at all. The most puzzling of which, being why Harry's childhood peeping caused him to become a crazy, red-suited killer. I suspect there's a possible Oedipus Complex happening here, but that's a little bit of a stretch. In one odd scene, Harry has crept into the bushes surrounding one naughty child's house. He covers his face and hands in black mud and presses them up against the siding, leaving imprints. Later, the camera pans back to those same black marks, but why? Is it just so that we all know who's house we're looking at? Sorry Jackson, but you lost me here. In another bizarre moment, the young Harry, Philip and their mother are watching Harry's father climb down the chimney and stuff stockings. The three observers are sitting silently on the staircase, cast in strange lighting and not speaking. Was this supposed to be scary?

The entire 100 minutes of Christmas Evil is just uncomfortable; like being molested by a dirty old uncle. There's something totally creepy and uneasy about the whole situation. Nevermind that the movie is obviously low-budget (which isn't always a bad thing) and the plot and acting are weak. The lighting is wacky and the sets and wardrobe stink of moldy 70's stylings. Most of the story is unexplained and what little gore there is lacks inspiration. It's hard to tell whether the audience is meant to hate the main character or root for him or whether any part of this movie should be taken seriously. The only way I'd consent to watching Christmas Evil again is if it was part of an MST3K episode. Not a good result of my first foray into the Christmas horror sub-genre.

Overall Rating: 2 stars
Hottie Rating: 0 stars

Alternate Recommendation: Gremlins
Official Site (the best I could do)
IMDB Page
DVD In My Pants review

Into the Blue (2005)

2008-11-19T21:08:00.011-07:00

Directed by: John Stockwell
Format: DVD
DVD Features: trailers, commentary, screen tests, deleted scenes, star interviews
Starring: Jessica Alba, Paul Walker, Scott Caan, Ashley Scott, Josh Brolin
extra long trailer

***This movie has been nominated for a Gummi Award in the Best Gratuitous Display of Abdominal Muscles category.**

Ah, the ocean. The wide open sea. The boundless horizon of waves and adventure. The bounty of life teeming just below its surface...The myriad of terrifying ways to die...the lack of oxygen...the raging storms..the minuscule jellyfish that can cause days of incredible pain... Yeah, the ocean? Not so much fun for me. The ocean is something that demands respect and if you forget that for a moment, that's the moment she kills you. Nothing short of a bottle full of Valium and a million dollars will ever get me on a boat. While I'm content to view its amazing glory from shore and play cautiously in the surf, there are millions of people who make their living on ships.

In fact, the heroes of Into the Blue hardly spend a moment on dry land. Jared is a diver and amateur treasure hunter who dreams of the big score. His girlfriend, Sam, studies sharks (or maybe just works at Sea World) and is perfectly content with the humble life they lead. Enter Jared's buddy and cocky young lawyer, Bryce. Bryce has his newly acquired young whor..I mean "girlfriend" in tow and the pair have flown in to vacation in the Bahamas. The four borrow a yacht from one of Bryce's clients and go out for a dive. While poking around in the sand, Jared and Sam find some clues that could lead them to a major discovery. The trouble is, the group also finds an airplane wreck and it's full of cocaine. Trying to keep the buried treasure to themselves until they can acquire the equipment to dig it up and stake their claim could be difficult. Nobody looses a cargo plane full of blow and neglects to go looking for it.

So, naturally the plot here leaves much to be desired. Poor Jared is so down and out that he can't afford a ship of his own or any treasure hunting equipment. However, I wonder where this twenty-something guy got the dough to be living in the Bahamas in the first place. Plus, he's dating Jessica Alba so it's a little hard to feel sorry for him. His former boss and gold seeking rival, played by Josh Brolin, appears whenever it's important to egg on the main characters, but is he really making money digging up sunken artifacts? I realize that The Bahamas are just a small group of islands, but I didn't realize that it's the kind of place where everybody knows everybody else. In Into the Blue, the whole scenario wraps up as neatly as a Guy Ritchie flick, but without all the style and class. Awfully convenient but terribly uninspired.

The acting is tolerable on the part of Alba and Paul Walker (who plays Jared), but everyone else, including Brolin, sink to the watery depths of forgetful performances. There are only two real reasons why this movie was made. Reason one: to show off Jessica Alba's nearly naked body. The girl is undeniably hot, but in this film, she's almost skeletal. As a vegetarian, I never thought I'd say this, but girlfriend needs a Big Mac. Besides, how many shots of her ass can they fit into one movie anyway? The second reason, and the only thing that redeems this crappy movie, is the beautiful underwater cinematography. It far outshines any other aspect of this movie. If only they could cut out the scenes of the mediocre gangsters, snore-inducing plot and empty air tank gauges and just show the spectacular fish and crystal blue heaven, I might actually be willing to watch Into the Blue a second time.

The verdict? This movie sucks and not just because I'm a confirmed landlubber. Hell, Jaws, The Abyss and Pirates of the Caribbean all get the "thumbs up" from yours truly (I guess you don't have to wait for those reviews). I was all prepared to nod approvingly at the movie's fair depiction of sharks too, and then Mr. Seven Rows of Teeth took a chunk out of someone. Sigh. This was one of those movies that I saw the trailer for and thought, "Not gonna see that one". But then someone (thank you Kris) had to go and nominate it for a Gummi Award!

Overall Rating: 2 stars
Hottie Rating: 2 stars

Alternate Recommendation: The Abyss
Official Site
IMDB Page
The Village Voice review

Links: Swagology

2008-11-12T13:55:00.003-07:00

While seeking inspiration and curious about movie promo items, we wandered the webs and stumbled upon this little gem. It's The Onion A.V. Club's article featuring some of the swag the team has received from various studios. Highly amusing and head-tilt inducing.

Horror-thon 2008

2008-10-31T13:18:00.012-06:00

Success!! GP survived 8 unending hours of pure horror yesterday, in preparation for this most phantasmic of holidays. Below are 10 mini-reviews (in no particular order), cooked up for your viewing pleasure. Hold on to your pointy hats.....!

1. 2001 Maniacs (2005)- Dir. by Tim Sullivan. Star. Robert Englund.

2001 Maniacs is the tale of a crew of three college boys off to Daytona Beach for Spring Break. Instead, an unexpected detour takes them to a place called Pleasant Valley. While it's not as far South as Florida, the place is certainly "deep South". Englund plays the town mayor, who sports a Confederate Flag eye patch and a hokey twang. The townsfolk are amazingly generous, but more than a little bit creepy. Excitement for the big feast abounds, but fewer and fewer outsiders seem to be likely to make it to the event...alive anyway. Aside from the fact that the title may have just as well have been 2001 Boob Shots, 2001 Maniacs was highly amusing. The movie shares many intentional similarities to Cabin Fever. So, if you enjoyed watching that one, you'll love this movie. This movie doesn't take itself seriously for a second and that's part of what makes it so much fun. I still don't think Englund would have a career if it wasn't for Freddy Kreuger.

3 stars. trailer

2. Halloween (2007) - Dir. by Rob Zombie. Star. Malcolm McDowell

So many people have told me that they were disappointed with Rob Zombie's remake of Halloween that I was prepared to be disappointed. After finally seeing the film, I would consider it less of a "remake" than an "homage". Zombie has always made it abundantly clear, even prior to his directorial debut, that he is a fan of the genre. He pays a great deal of respect to the original work. The first half of the movie is the background story of how Michael Myers came to be the psychopathic killer he is known as. The second half is a rehash (or an update) of the events in the original film. I found myself completely satisfied with the Rob Zombie version. It shed much light into the main character while respecting John Carpenter's vision.

4 stars. trailer

3. Vampire Diary (2007) - Dir. by Mark James & Phil O'Shea. Star. Anna Walton

Vampire Diary is a film out of the UK. It begins as the story of documentary filmmaker, Holly, who is busy following a group of so-called "vampires" about. This group of club-kids are truly nothing more than pretenders, dancing around in black eyeliner and latex. It's while she's filming them, however, that she meets a mysterious woman named Vicki. Vicki is a completely different breed. The second part of this story covers the somewhat tragic lesbian relationship between Holly and Vicki. Vampire Diary has a very amateur feel that gives the film a gritty edge and a distinctly UK underground flavor. It has a tendency to drag a bit in the middle and it is certainly not typical of vampire movies. The best part is really watching Anna Walton.

2 1/2 stars. trailer

4. The Happening (2008) - Dir. by M. Night Shyamalan. Star. Mark Wahlberg

The latest from M. Night Shyamalan seems to have gotten just as bad of a rap as The Village did. Call me biased, but I don't think this director has yet to make a "bad" movie. In The Happening, a mysterious event has spread throughout the East Coast, causing people to commit suicide en masse. School Science teacher Elliot Moore, his wife and their friend learn that the airborn toxin is wafting to Philadelphia and decide to join the exodus out of town. I thought the storyline for The Happening was an inspired one; very original. There were some extremely disturbing scenes, most memorable of them being at the construction site. However, the movie suffers from one major flaw. It's name is Mark Wahlberg. While I appreciate the man's acting for the most part, he was awful in The Happening. A cardboard cutout of the actor would have done just as well and had to have been paid far less.

3 stars. trailer

5. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) - Dir. by Tim Burton. Star. Johnny Depp

When I heard that Burton was going to give the classic story of Sweeney Todd his special treatment, I was ecstatic. When I learned that it was going to be a musical, I was less enthusiastic. When I actually heard Depp and Bonham Carter sing, I was nauseated. The costume and sets in this movie are the most gloriously theatrical since Pee Wee's Big Adventure. There is good deal of blood spraying and gushing about, but it all looks (intentionally, I suspect) rather fake. The plot is truly deserving of the "classic" badge of honor, by the way, and would seem to lend itself well to a director who dabbles in the dark and delightful. Wonderfully stylistic, as Burton tends to be, but marred significantly by the lead actors' serious lack of any vocal skill whatsoever.

2 stars. trailer

6. Invasion (2007) - Dir. Oliver Hirschbiegel. Star. Nicole Kidman

This story has had many incarnations, from the original, black and white, 1956 version to the 1993 stingray creature version. It hasn't gotten any less creepy. My personal favorite was the 1978 Donal Sutherland version. Regardless, the concept that those around us might all someday turn against us is inherently sinister. Kidman and Daniel Craig struggle through this latest version, trying to remain unturned. The story is basically the same as in past renditions. The two stars are convincing and do their roles proud. I think Invasion is now my second favorite telling of the Body Snatchers story.

3 stars. trailer

7. Quaranine (2008) - Dir. John Erick Dowdle. Star. Jennifer Carpenter

Initial trailers for this film had me saying, "That looks like the dumbest movie ever." But, since it was the only horror film playing at my neighborhood theater on the dark and stormy night that I insisted on driving that extra mile down the highway, I ended up seeing Quarantine anyway. It just goes to show how deceiving trailers can be. The entire film is shot through a hand-held videocam, exactly like Blair Witch was. So, until the 20 minutes that it takes to get used to the unsteady picture passes, you may be a little motion sick. While it is, on the one hand, sometimes frustrating to have the audience's vision restricted to the perspective of one character in the film, on the other, the restriction heightens the sensation that someone may be creeping up behind. The story is interesting and takes advantage of paranoia as its main scare tactic. A pleasant surprise and the only one of these 10 films that actually frightened me at all.

3 stars. trailer

8. The Reaping (2007) - Dir. Stephen Hopkins. Star. Hillary Swank

The Reaping centers around a college professor, who travels the world in order to disprove so-called miracles. Because of her reputation, the town of Haven sends a school teacher to meet her and request her aid with one of their own mysteries. It seems that the town's entire river has turned to blood. It seems also, that if Katherine doesn't agree to help, a young girl's life may be in danger. As she sets about applying her scientific methods to explain the phenomenon, the town is visited by a series of biblical plagues and it becomes harder for Katherine to deny a supernatural cause. The Reaping was not disappointing, mainly because I didn't think it would be any good in the first place. The "twist" ending is trite and predictable. The acting is mediocre. One thing I was grateful for was the absence of focus on the apparently tempting topic of a black man in the South.

3 stars. trailer

9. Shiver (2008) a.k.a. Eskalofrio - Dir. Isidro Ortiz. Star. Julio Valverde

Shiver comes to America from the same people who brought us The Devil's Backbone and Pan's Labyrinth. It's the tale of a young man with an allergy to sunlight and his single mother. To avoid the bullying and health issues of living in the city, the pair move to a town in a shady valley. When villagers begin to die, their blood sucked from their bodies, guess who's the main suspect? I detest the American name for this film, but that's just about the only thing I found objectionable about it.

3 1/2 stars. trailer

10. The Number 23 - Dir. Joel Schumacher. Star. Jim Carrey

While I am not a fan of Carrey's brand of comedy, I do enjoy him in dramatic roles. In The Number 23, he plays a dog catcher who is, while bored at work, happily married with a son. On his birthday, his wife gives him a small-press paperback that cause him to correlate everything to the number 23. Save yourself the trouble and rent Pi instead.

2 1/2 stars. trailer

Update: Halloween Plans

2008-10-30T15:54:00.003-06:00

GP had planned a nice, relaxing vacation down to our beloved Austin, Texas for the holiday weekend. However, due to unforseen and tragic circumstances, we had to cancel our trip (Luckily, we won't miss out on any party action for our most favored holiday). What that means for you is, we have the opportunity to present a special event.

Last year, Gummi Popcorn posted a list of our favorite 10 Horror recommendations. This year, we will begin monster movie maddness (starting immediately after this is posted) which will last for eight grueling hours. At the end of it, GP will post 10 (count 'em) mini reviews. Each one will be a movie never before reviewed at GP and each will be even more terrible than the last!! (OooooOOOOooooh!). To keep up our strength, we have fortified our castle with Bloody Mary's and salted nuts. Will we survive so many straight hours of Hell??

Wait and see.....

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006)

2008-10-25T21:10:00.005-06:00

Directed by: Jonathan Liebesman
Format: DVD
DVD Features: commentary, deleted scenes, trailer, featurette
Starring: Taylor Handley, Jordana Brewster, Diora Baird, Matthew Bomer, R. Lee Ermey
trailer

Anyone who's ever taken a cross-country road trip, especially through Texas, knows that the way is polka-dotted with tiny little towns. Some of them are no larger than a gas station and a motel. Those towns have always creeped me out. I've walked into a roadside Dairy Queen and had a room full of backwoods eyes follow me up to the counter. Once, I stopped my car on the side of the highway just to poke my head out and look at the stars. It was mighty fast before flashes of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre made me poke my head back in. If I was the only person who got chills from inbred, tobacca chewers, we wouldn't have movies like The Hills Have Eyes, The Devil's Rejects or 2001 Maniacs. We most certainly would not have this prequel to a remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

In The Beginning, two brothers are on their way to enlist in the military and ship off to Vietnam. The eldest, Eric (Bomer), is marching off proudly to his second tour. What he doesn't know is that his brother Dean (Handley) is planning to detour to Mexico to dodge the draft. The pair are just beginning to hash out the issue when they and their girlfriends are run off the road. Sheriff Hoyt arrives on the scene and takes the two boys and Dean's girl Bailey (Baird) into custody. Instead of taking the group down to the stationhouse, they end up at the home of the Hewitts. Hoyt is actually head of the household, all dressed up like a lawman. The family is the last left in town after the slaughterhouse closed and drove most of the residents out. While Dean, Eric and Bailey suffer the Hewitts' demented sense of hospitality, Eric's girlfriend Chrissie catches up to them and attempts a daring rescue.

Generally, it's not in one's best interest to expect good acting in a horror film. Disappointment almost assuredly follows. (The only exeption to that rule might be a Hitchcock film.) That said, it was surprising to find the acting in TCM: The Beginning well above par. Taking center stage is R. Lee Ermey who plays Sheriff Hoyt/Mr. Hewitt. He's completely convicing as the disgusting, disturbed and dispicable head of a household of cannibals. If I ever met the actor, I'd have a really hard time turning my back toward him. The best out of the four kids in the movie is Handley, as Dean. Not only is he cute with his boyish blonde curls, but
his character has surprising strength. The rest of the cast is marginal. Andrew Bryniarski is the actor behind the leather face, but little more is required of him than a bit of lumbering about.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning is advertised as the answer to everything you ever wanted to know about Leatherface. Even the filmmakers, when trying to explain themselves in the special features, don't lend very convincing support to the prequel claim. In reality, the only segment that gives any background to the legendary murderer's past is the brief series of scenes that backdrop the opening credits. Apparently, after the 2003 remake of TCM was released, the producers of the movie were innundated with questions from fans. It seems as though they took those questions, invented answers to them on the fly, and strung the rest of the movie together to fill in the gaps. The Beginning ends up being, in essence, TCM: The Remake Part 2; yet another retelling of the same scenario.

The movie is, however, quite gorey and with me, a little gore goes a long way. Every drop of blood was very realistic and all of the major components are covered. TCM: The Beginning satisfies the blood splatter, juicy organs, dismembered digits and gapeing body cavity cravings of a jaded horror fanatic. Want to see someone impaled on a rusty chainsaw? You'll get two. Want to see someone get their face peeled off? No problem. There was even one scene that turned my stomach a little and that's saying something. Full marks for gore gratification! (Honestly, don't let the kids watch this one.)

Although the story is getting tired at this point, it must be difficult to follow up one of the best horror movies ever made. Maybe it's the source material or maybe it's the "based on a true story" level of reality, but TCM: The Beginning does much better than your average fright fest. While it's not as fun as a movie like Cabin Fever, it is a bit traumatic. After watching it, you'll feel like you've been through something terrible.

Overall Rating: 3 1/2
Hottie Rating: 2

Alternate Recommendation: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
Official Site
IMDB Page
Dr. Gore's review

News: GP the Candy

2008-10-14T13:39:00.003-06:00

I was in the drugstore on my lunch break today, looking for those Halloween candy pumpkins I adore, when lo and behold:

Gummy Popcorn candy!! I knew it was a matter of time before someone stole my idea (despite the spelling difference)! Naturally, I had to pick up a box to check out the situation. I was unhappy to discover that, while the box is kinda neat, and the idea is fantastic, the execution is disgusting. The "Gummy" candies are sort of marshmallowey, like the white part of those gummy frogs (or strawberries or sharks). They're coated in sugar/sour granules. However, they don't have any identifiable flavor. They don't really taste like popcorn, or any kind of fruit. They sort of taste like something you'd find under the sink, but sour. Eww. Regardless, winners of The Gummi Awards might find a box of these in their prize pack.

Update: Last Call for Nominations

2008-10-07T14:47:00.002-06:00

Well everyone, it seems that the Gummi Awards has gone on long enough. We were holding out, hoping to get a few more nominations in before closing the doors. However, those categories are starting to look a little moldy and stale up there on the left. In order to be fair to those readers who did submit their nominations, we will officially close the contest down at the end of the month, on Halloween (October 31st). Last chance to let us know what you'd like to see win a Gummi Award and last chance to win some prizes for yourself! Categories will close regardless of whether or not there have been nominations. Here's what we still need to see:

Most Nauseating Vomit Scene - c'mon people, you're missing such an obvious one here! So far we've only got one nomination. Are you going to let that person win? Well, are you?! The one we're thinking of is a comedy...

Most Awkward Moment - aren't there any movies out there where mom walks in on her son "choking the chicken" or someone catches their junk in a zipper?? I know I've seen one or two of those....

Most Inappropriate Musical Sequence - there are more nominations in the Crazy Cool Carpet Design category than there are for this one. Seriously.

Tell your friends, pester your spouses and if you just can't think of anything go online! The clock is ticking (tick, tick, tick)...

Know Your Director: Introduction

2008-10-06T15:23:00.000-06:00

It is a travesty that the directors of film often get less credit than the cast does. The public seems to identify a movie much more by the faces in front of the camera than the crew behind it. In trailers, movies will often proclaim, “From the director of …” instead of just mentioning a person’s name. Understandably, actors and actresses get more recognition because they’re so much more visible. It’s somewhat like looking at a sculpture and admiring the quality of the bronze while ignoring the artist who formed it.

At GP, we feel that it’s really the director who can make or break a film and that the best actors in the world often flounder under poor direction. As an illustration, consider the movie Mad Dog and Glory. The film stars three actors with a proven track record of excellence on screen; Robert DeNiro, Uma Thurman and Bill Murray. So, one might reasonably imagine that Mad Dog and Glory might be a good film. It wasn’t (no need to wait for that review). It sucked. Badly. So, why was DeNiro great in The Good Shepherd, Thurman fantastic in Pulp Fiction, and Murray hilarious in Rushmore, but not in this movie? Answer: direction. Mad Dog and Glory was directed by John McNaughton whose body of work consists largely of television episodes. Nothing can ruin the performance of three skilled actors like poor directing.

With that said, GP would like to introduce a new feature dedicated to the most talented, creative and exceptional people in the director’s chair. Know Your Director will profile a specific man or woman each time, focusing on the aspects that make their films stand out. Each one has a certain style that defines their work, favorite cast members and familiar titles. So, next time you’re seeking a new experience at the theater (or the rental store, or the On Demand menu) Know Your Director may be a good place to start.

Burn After Reading (2008)

2008-10-05T00:21:00.006-06:00

Directed by: Ethan & Joel Coen
Format: Theater
Starring: Brad Pitt, John Malkovich, George Clooney, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand
Trailer

There are certain directors who can always get me to fill a seat in the theater. The Coens are two of them. Although I've been burned before by the dynamic duo, I will allow that everyone makes mistakes and they haven't illed so much as to cancel themselves from my list of favorites. Burn After Reading was certainly on my list of "what to see" as soon as I saw the trailer. So, when someone offered to take me to a film Friday night, I immediately knew which one I wanted to go to. Knowing that my movie companion was a little on the conservative side (I don't mean politically), I took the chance that she'd appreciate something a little offbeat, but also oddly amusing. At least, that's what I was hoping for...

Burn After Reading is billed as a "spy comedy", but I wouldn't really classify it that way (Get Smart fits the description more). The whole thing begins with Linda Litzke (McDormand) who is a single woman desperate to feel attractive. To do so, she believes, will take a series of expensive operations. Since her insurance refuses her coverage, she is forced to seek other means of financing her endeavors. When her coworkers at the local gym discover a CD loaded with suspicious documents, she sees her chance at making a little cash. The man that she and gym-mate Chad (Pitt) make a clumsy attempt to blackmail is indeed former CIA agent, Osbourne Cox (Malkovich). The reason he's "former" is because he's got some booze-related problems and his wife, Katie (Swinton) is preparing to divorce him for attractive Treasury agent Harry Pfarrer. Pfarrer, despite the fact that he loves his wife, is an habitual cheater. Not only is he sneaking around with Cox's wife, he also manages to get into Litzke's undergarments. As if that isn't confusing enough, add in the rest of the CIA, the Russians, a few divorce attorneys and an unrequited love. Oy.

I've noticed that many great directors, the Coens included of course, choose to work with the same actors on a regular basis. It almost seems like a group of friends making movies for their own entertainment. Among the Coens regulars are Francis McDormand (Fargo, Blood Simple, Raising Arizona, Miller's Crossing) and George Clooney (O Brother, Where Art Thou?). McDormand is a fantabulous actress without a doubt. She's not as astoundingly impressive as she was in Fargo, but it's easy to see why she's got a career. Clooney's Pfarrer is the most amusing character here by far (I almost peed). He's also clearly a dirt bag for his wife's sake, but is really rather human by the end. Excellently played. Malkovich is really creepy and despicable as Cox. He didn't get any sympathy from me at all. Pitt is dumb, but lovable and takes a respectable break from the heartthrob role.

Burn After Reading does have some unsettling scenes. The overall tone of the movie is amusement and lighthearted mishaps. So, when a couple of graphicly violent shots disrupt that tone, they're all the more disturbing. That doesn't, however, make them negative aspects of the movie. In an industry saturated with explosions, zombie guts and gunfire, it's easy to see violence as commonplace. In this film, however, it has a similar effect as it might in real life. Imagine you're going to retrieve your Sunday morning newspaper from your carefully manicured suburban front lawn. You reach down, carful to keep your robe from opening and look up just in time to see the neighbor hack the paperboy's neck with a hatchet. Blood squirts everywhere and it just ruins your whole day. That's what I mean by disturbing.

I don't think I'll ever be the same after O Brother, Where Art Thou, but I think I can lower my guard just a bit. After two solid flicks (No Country for Old Men included), the Coens are proving they haven't lost their touch (although they do remind me of the guys from Myth Busters). As a fan of the two directors, I highly recommend the film. As your average movie goer, it might not be what you're expecting, but it will be worth the admission price. Go and see it now, or rent it later, but don't let it escape you either way.

Overall Rating: 4 stars
Hottie Rating: 3 stars (for Clooney/Pitt combo)

Alternate Recommendation: Blood Simple
Official Site
IMDB Page
Rolling Stone review - in which Peter Travers tries to force some type of social commentary on the picture.

Iron Man (2008)

2008-10-04T21:34:00.009-06:00

Directed by: Jon Favreau
Format: On Demand
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Bridges, Terrence Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow
Trailer

Good prospects seem to hit the movie theaters in waves. For a while, the sea of offerings lap dully at the shore of mediocraty. Then, a string of features with enticing trailers swells up and drenches the box offices. Again, the wave dies down and it's back to chick flicks and Will Ferrell comedies. Trouble is, I'm a poor surfer. I either get so wrapped up in the rest of life that I forget to make it to a show or I end up waiting on the same jerk who keeps promising to take me to the theater and never follows through. When I have money, there's nothing playing and when I'm broke the latest Scorsese or Wes Anderson flick comes out. Murphy's Law of movie going? Perhaps. Consider also the fact that I can hardly stand to spend my evening rushing to make a screen time only to be viciously wallet-raped at the ticket counter and then have the best parts ruined by some inconsiderate anus with a cell phone. Sigh. The fact that I missed watching Robert Downey Jr. zip around the big screen in a material representation of a Black Sabbath song is entirely due to the aforementioned jerk and my reluctance to give up on him. When will I learn?

Tony Stark is a millionaire playboy of the Bruce Wayne variety. He also happens to be an engineering genius. The corporation he inherited, Stark Industries, profits by conceptualizing and manufacturing arms. In an interview with a Vouge Magazine reporter (Sure, like Vouge is any kind of reputable news source.), he makes clear his apathetic and cynical views on heading a company that enables soldiers to blow each other up. In Filmland, a comment like that is sure to land you in Just Dessertsville, and so it does.

Stark is headed back from a demonstration of his newest missile, when his Hummer is attacked and its accompanying troops slaughtered. When he regains consiousness, he finds himself in the clutches of Raza (Faran Tahir), leader of some type of desert-dwelling tribesmen bent on destruction (shall we assume Al Quaeda here?). Guess who's weapons the bad guys are armed with? Guess what Raza wants Tony to make? And so, with the aid of fellow captive Yinsen (Shaun Toub), he builds a robotic suit of armor instead. Thus, Iron Man is born. Upon returning to civilization, Tony Stark announces that he's had a change of heart. He says his company will no longer be producing weapons, which of course, sends his business partner, Obadiah Stane (Bridges) into cardiac arrest.

While I've long been aware of the Iron Man comic's existence, I can't claim the ability to judge how the movie adaptation measures up. So, someone more qualified than I will have to chime in (hint, hint). What I can say is that the movie is chock-full of eye candy. Whether it's Downey's bulging (dare I say..."throbbing"?) deltoids (..yummy..) or wicked-bad CGI, Iron Man doesn't disappoint on the asthetic front. The effects are truly top-notch and if the film has no further redeeming qualities, it's almost worth it for this aspect alone.

The acting is pretty solid all around. I've got a serious crush on Robert Downey Jr. (gee, could you tell?) for some mysterious reason. Nonetheless, I wouldn't be afraid to admit if he'd done a lousy job. I think he was a great choice for Iron Man; he's fun to watch. What really impressed me was that the techies who drew up the costume CGI managed to capture the character's body language. Jeff Bridges, however, always makes me suspicious. I'm not sure if that speaks to his acting skills, or typecasting. In this case, my suspicions were justified. I could have sworn that Terrence Howard was the guy from Scrubs (turns out that's Donald Faison), but the guy is a lousy best friend. When Tony calls up his buddy ~~Turk~~ Dr. Christopher Turk (oh, now I see why I was confused) to show him the new toy he's working on, Howard's character just tells him that he needs to rest and think about producing more weapons of mass destruction. Some pal. The film's answer to Bond's Money Penny is Ms. Pepper Potts. Paltrow, as the sultry secretary/love interest, slinks around the screen in a wardrobe that Carrie Bradshaw would be envious of. She doesn't honestly do much, except bitch when Stark gets all ethical on her. But, she sure looks good doing it. It's not Gwyn's fault really; her character was written as an ornament. The only horrible acting was Shaun Toub (the bad guy) who was nearly as terrible as Dominic Purcell in Blade Trinity (or anything else for that matter).

Iron Man was marginally better than I had expected it to be. I've almost had enough of the comic-to-movie genre. But, Downey's performance was great as a jerk turned hero genius scientist and the CGI was eye-popping. I was pleased to see no time wasted on obligitory love scenes or weak comeback lines. The movie isn't, by far, any Oscar winning goldmine here, but it is a solid, entertaining piece of cinema. Go ahead and rent this baby and have yourself a good time. In many ways, Iron Man is what Hancock should have been.

Overall Rating: 3 1/2
Hottie Rating: 3 3/4

Alternate Recommendation: The Maxx
Official Site
IMDB Page
353 Haiku review

The Mangler 2 (2001)

2008-09-01T15:20:00.005-06:00

Directed by: Michael Hamilton-Wright
Format: On Demand
Starring: Lance Henriksen, Chelse Swain, Daniella Evangelista, Miles Meadows, Will Sanderson
Trailer

I will watch almost any movie, once, depending on the situation. I shop the horror section, on most occasions, before venturing elsewhere. That being said, I'll explain the situation that led me to choose The Mangler 2 from my On Demand menu. A couple of weeks ago, in an attempt to get a handle on my love handles (watching movies all day will do that), I hired a personal trainer. This past Saturday, she worked me so hard that, on the following day, I was barely able to move due to muscle soreness. Taking this as the perfect excuse to shirk my responsibilities and lay in bed all day watching movies, I set about to do just that. Although I had just rented two perfectly watchable DVDs from the video store that prior evening, I decided to go for the cheap thrill. "Besides," I reasoned, "that Ellen Page movie would probably go better with a dusky light and a glass of wine."

The Mangler 2 centers around a group of private college students. Jo Newton (Swain) is the daughter of a neglectful father who happens to own the school. She is of the angsty/goth/hacker variety, although her "hacking" consists mainly of downloading programs from the Internet. She and her fellow school prefects are held back from a school outing because the jerk headmaster (Henricksen) wants to know who's defaced the school's website. Feeling pissed off and outcast from her classmates, Jo decides to infect the building's new high-tech security system with (dun, dun, duuuuun!) The Mangler 2 virus. Just as the program is busy downloading, class jock, Dan (Sanderson), climbs through her window and distracts her from her revenge. The two run off to join the others, Emily, Corey and Will (Dexter Bell) for an impromptu pool party.

After Jo brags about her newest prank on the school, the group realizes that they would be the prime suspects since they're the only students there. So, they all run up to the headmaster's office to fix his email and place the blame on someone else. As they make their way through the empty hallways, they begin to come across mangled faculty members. When one of their own is boiled alive by the sprinkler system, they realize that they've got to fight the machines for their lives and try to escape the grounds before they're all dead.

Here's a movie selection tip - whenever you see Lance Henricksen's name on the cast list, avoid at all costs. His filmography is a list of B-grade flops and cartoon voice-acting. Granted, there are a few exceptions, like Alien or (maybe) the first Pumpkinhead, but it's a safe bet that whatever horror movie he's involved in will suck horribly. The rest of the cast of "teenagers" is just as awful. Daniella Evangelista plays class slut Emily who is mainly just a set of boobs bouncing their way through the script. She'd be attractive if the camera never panned above her neck. Of course, The Mangler 2 includes the class stoner, Corey (Meadows) and the token black guy (Bell) as well. Chelse Swain only has one expression - the twisted mouthed angsty one - and she doesn't pull even that off very well. Midway through the movie, the school's chef (Philippe Bergeron) is added to the group of hopeful escapees. His anti-computer monologues could have been amusing if they weren't delivered in the most lame fake French accent ever. In fact, I didn't realize he was trying to be French until someone mentioned it in the movie.

Sometimes, I can overlook a sad plot and horrible acting if the gore is exceptional. Sadly, that wasn't the case with The Mangler 2. There is some blood splatter and a crazy, wire entangled, horny headmaster, but some of the murders are offscreen. In a horror movie, no kill should ever, ever be offscreen. None of the effects were nauseating or even shocking. The animated computer wires are laughable. Even Jo's animated fractal screensaver is pathetic.

I never saw the first Mangler movie. After having seen the sequel, I don't think I need to see another Mangler movie ever again. This movie was weak, it lacked imagination, there was hardly any gore involved, and the acting was scraping the barrel. Don't waste your time with this movie. I've seen porn with better acting. There are a million horror movies out there and I'm betting that at least 80% of them are better than The Mangler 2. Still, it's not the worst movie I've ever seen and for that, and that alone, I can't give it a 0 rating.

Overall Rating: 1/2 star
Hottie Rating: 1 star

Alternate Recommendation: an episode of Scooby Doo
Official Site (none found)
IMDB Page
DVD Verdict review

***Note: If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

Only You (1994)

2008-09-01T15:17:00.006-06:00

Directed by: Norman Jewison
Fortmat: On Demand
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Marisa Tomei, Bonnie Hunt, Joaquim De Almeida
Trailer

This may be Gummi Popcorn's first romantic comedy review. I tend to avoid the genre in general, because most of these movies are predictable, cheesey, sappy, unrealistic and just plain boring. They're fairy tales; the kind of things shown to little girls to make them believe there's a prince charming out there somewhere. They're also churned out by Hollywood like a Chip's Ahoy cookie. The most heart-breaking scenes I've ever seen were found in dramas and foreign or indy films. Real romance, I feel, is filled with pain and anguish. That being said, I have found, on very rare occasions, I good romantic comedy. Some of the early 80's films (most of them star John Cusak) can be fun to watch. The only thing that made me take a chance on Only You was Robert Downey Jr.

Faith (Tomei) is about to be a young bride. All her life, she has believed in destiny. When she was a child, she was told that she would marry a man named Damon Bradley. A week before her wedding to a boring pediatrist, she gets a phone call. After she hangs up the reciever, she realizes the name she jotted down was Damon Bradley. So, beliving this could be her last chance to meet the man of her dreams, she rushes off to the airport (in her wedding dress) to catch a plane to Italy. Tagging along is her sister-in-law and best friend Kate (Hunt). The pair try to track Faith's mystery man from hotel to restaurant and across the country. As Faith is chasing Mr. Bradley through the streets of Venice, she loses a shoe in true Cinderella style. The man who delivers the shoe says his name is Damon Bradley. The two spend a romantic night together and seems to click perfectly. There's just one catch - he lied about his name. His real name is Peter (Downey) and he's madly enough in love with Faith to try one more deception to keep her around.

The whole premise of Only You is silly, but so is love. Faith is willing to risk her entire future on a name. Where she gets the money to jet off to Italy on a whim is beyond me. Faith's friend Kate is married and jaded and rightfully so, because her husband (played by Fisher Stevens) is a jerk who takes her away from her "girls' night out" to cook dinner for his poker friends. So, why is she willing to deny a wealthy, debonair Italian wife snatcher a chance? Even Peter, who is really the perfect match for Faith, is kind of a dirtbag. He consistently lies to her and, while his intentions are good, is this really a characteristic to admire in a man?

I have had a crush on Robert Downey Jr. since I don't know when. The reasons are beyond me, but whether he's a heartbroken liar, a dream-obsessed businessman or a down-and-out junkie, I love the guy. There's just something about the actor that draws me in. He looks great in Only You and, despite the fact he's untruthful, I wanted his character to succeed. I'd never understood the obsession with Marisa Tomei until I saw this movie. She really is beautiful. In Only You, she has a sort of Audrey Hepburn allure (and haircut) and naivete that makes Faith an enjoyable character. Naturally, she needs a friend and confidant to cling to, who provides the more realistic approach while still being supportive. Boonie Hunt does a reasonable job of fulliflling that role while carrying on a subplot of her own. I was a bit disappointed that the third in the friendly trio, Leslie (Siobhan Fallon) didn't have a larger part in the movie.

Only You is a cute and light movie. Admittedly, there were moments where I was drawn in. But, it was just as frustrating as most romantic comedies are. Why don't these people just communicate to each other? As usual, it's got a perfect ending, where the two who were truly meant to be together, find the strength to unite. Maybe it's just the result of my experiences, but I still prefer a more realistic approach to love. Woody Allen usually gets it right, I just wish he wouldn't act. If you're a fan of the genre, I think Only You will be a nice addition to your collection. As a non-fan, I was interested in the scenery, but not so much the plot.

Overall Rating: 2 stars
Hottie Rating: 4 stars (for beautiful Tomei and my crush on Robert)

Alternate Recommendation: Chasing Amy
Official Site
IMDB Page
Washington Post review - I honestly coudln't find another accurate or well written review for this one.

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Shutter (2008)

2008-08-31T13:05:00.004-06:00

Directed by: Masayuki Ochiai
Format: DVD
DVD Features: trailers, director feature, spirit photography featurettes, deleted scenes
Starring: Joshua Jackson, Rachael Taylor, Megumi Okina, John Hensley, Maya Hazen
Trailer

I thought the trend of Asian horror movie remakes was at an end. It apparently hasn't quite died yet. This time, instead of taking from the stock of Japanese films, the original Shutter was from Thailand. Nonetheless, the American version was shot in Japan by a Japanese director. According to his interview in the special features section of the disc, Ochiai attempted to stay as true to the original as possible. While I feel that to be an admirable trait, I remember being disappointed when I saw Ringu because it was so similar to the American version. When will American audiences learn to enjoy foreign cinema without having it tailor-made for us?

In Shutter (the English version), Benjamin and Jane have just gotten married. The happy couple plans to spend their honeymoon in Japan, where Ben has a photography shoot. He'll be working with his two pals Bruno and Adam who've set the couple up with a nice apartment and studio in an abandoned building. As the couple is driving in from the airport, Jane accidentally crashes into a girl standing in the road. When they regain consciousness, there's no body and the police find no evidence of an injured girl. Riddled with guilt, Jane begins to see the girl in window reflections. But Ben tells her she's imagining things and with the stress he's experiencing at the job, it's not a good time to bring this up. Apparently, the expensive photo shoot didn't go well. All of Ben's pictures developed with strange defects, just like their honeymoon roll. While Jane is flipping through her amateur shots, she notices the girl from the road is in all of them. Who is this woman, what does she want and what doesn't Jane know about her husband's past in Japan?

The main premise of Shutter relies heavily on the concept of spirit photography. A big deal in Japan, it hasn't quite hit Western shores (I always wondered where the idea for the game Fatal Frame came from). There are magazines filled with pictures of ghosts in Japan and it seems that Ben and Jane have managed quite a collection of their own. I think spirit photography is a fascinating idea and an interesting one to base a film around. But Shutter suffers from many of the same similarities as most of its predecessors. There is always the culture shock of American transplants to Japan and it always seems to be the girlfriends who are suffering. While Jane does a little bit better tackling the subway system than most, she's still feeling a bit lost and isolated. Just once, I'd like to see an American woman who's having a good time in that country.

Shutter also has the same brand of fear as most of the other films. There isn't really a gore factor and all of the terror comes in slow, suspenseful waves. I appreciate the fact that the filmmakers aren't constantly trying to make the audience jump at inane little things. However, I'm getting really tired of spooky long-haired chicks. In The Grudge it was scary. In The Ring it was a puzzle. In Shutter, it's just old news. This film does have the benefit of an interesting plot and a few unexpected twists, which makes it more enjoyable than it otherwise could have been and that's what saves it from just another Japanese remake.

All of the actors here are acceptable in their roles. None are really fantastic or will leave a lasting impression. Joshua Jackson makes a great loving husband who falls gradually from grace, but I didn't buy his fear. Seeing a character in a horror film truly convey their fright makes me feel afraid all the more. Jackson didn't do that for me. Jane (Taylor) never seems more than curious and frustrated. The Japanese actress, Megumi (who plays the ghost Megumi) doesn't have to do much more than move slowly. Bruno (David Denman) and Adam (Hensley) are really just sort of older jocks who've acclimated to live overseas. No depth there, I'm afraid.

I can't really confess any strong feelings either way on this movie. I did expect it to be terrible and it wasn't. It's just different enough of a movie to be interesting, but just similar enough to others to be boring. I don't regret the rental and the DVD's special features are good (just don't watch them before you see the movie). But, when you've seen one American remake of an Asian horror film, you've sadly seen them all.

Overall Rating: 3
Hottie Rating: 2

Alternate Recommendation: go see something in its original language
Official Site
IMDB Page
A.V. Club review

***Note: If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

Brainscan (1994)

2008-08-29T20:36:00.008-06:00

Directed by: John Flynn
Format: On Demand
Starring: Eddie Furlong, Frank Langella, T. Ryder Smith, Amy Hargreaves, Jamie Marsh
Trailer

Lately, I've been stumbling upon some not-quite-classic-but-still-campy nuggets of recently-passed cinema. You know - not quite Casablanca and not quite MST3K. To be honest, it's mostly due to the fact that I'm lazy and broke and I haven't returned my Netflix movies in a while. But, being lazy and broke has its advantages, believe it or not. Namely, stumbling upon not-quite-classic-but-still-campy nuggets of recently-passed cinema. I digress. There's something to be said for hidden treasure. The risk in hunting for it is, of course, finding crap along the way. I came across Brainscan and, recognizing the name, decided to give it a chance.

It's the mid-nineties. Video games and computers offer limitless entertainment, but Michael Bower (Furlong) thinks he's seen it all. When his best friend Kyle (Marsh) calls him up to tell him about an intriguing ad in the latest issue of Fangoria, he takes a break from video taping the girl next door's bedroom window to respond. The ad is for a product called Brainscan and it promises an experience so realistic and terrifying that it's like no game ever played before. Feeling an affront to his teenage boy video game prowess, Bower takes on the challenge. Soon, disc 1 arrives in the mail. Brainscan leaps from the screen and takes over. Michael's mission is to go into a man's house and murder him (creatively) before the time limit is up. He's absorbed into the first-person perspective and completes the mission with time to spare. The next day he learns that a local man has been murdered and inside his freezer is the man's foot! How realistic is too realistic?

Brainscan is loaded with cool, outdated technology presented as cutting edge. Michael's phone is a voice-activated and crudely animated butler named Igor. The game discs are played via cartridge inserted into his DVD/disc drive device. Even the special effects are mid-nineties conceptions.

Who knew that Eddie Furlong was in anything except Terminator 2? In fact, looking over his rap-sheet, I don't see anything later than 1999 that I recognize. Really, would any of us recognize Furlong if we saw him now? I know plenty of girls who confess a crush on dear Eddie (oh, I'm sorry, Edward)from "back in the day". For his role as Michael Bower, just imagine John Connor with a little less rebellion but just as much of a techie fetish. Brainscan is entirely suitable for anyone with a Furlong habit. One of the most amusing characters in this movie was Trickster, played by T. Ryder Smith. Trickster is the goblin-like character that springs from the Brainscan disc. He's sort of the movie's version of Beetlejuice, but a little more punked out. At least he appreciates Primus. Smith plays him (underneath a lot of makeup) as an impish creature; ridiculous and odd, but perfect for the film and plenty of personality. The rest of the cast is the usual gathering of high-school misfits. They're not outstanding by any means, but likeable enough. None of them steal the spotlight from Furlong.

There are a slew of improvements that could be made to Brainscan to make it a better film. For one, Michael has the "Pipi Longstocking Syndrome". That is to say that he's got plenty of neat gadgets, no cash flow issues and, most importantly, absent parents. For another thing, I would have made the game's first victim the troublesome school principal, who cancels the boys' classic horror movie club. Kyle should have been a much more prominent character, being Bower's best friend, and could have been given a good deal more screen time. The topic of Micheal's mother is strong in the beginning of the movie. It seems as if it will be a major factor, but is never really developed.

To summarize, Brainscan isn't quite the film it could have been, but it's amusing to watch. It's not in the least bit frightening, of course, but it gets a smidge tense at times. I wouldn't go adding this movie to your personal collection, unless you're into this sort of thing, but rental (at a reasonable discount) is not something to shy away from. However, if you're into smoking a bit of the green stuff, or getting a bit tipsy (not that GP condones that sort of thing), it could be the perfect 96 minute diversion.

Overall Rating: 3 stars
Hottie Rating: 2 stars

Alternate Recommendation: Videodrome
Official Site (none found)
IMDB Page
The Austin Chronicle review

***Note: If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

Editorial: DVD vs. TV

2008-08-24T21:45:00.002-06:00

We are lucky, in this day and age, to have so many movie formats at our disposal. We can view our favorite flicks on VHS, DVD, Blue Ray, television, On Demand cable, theater and the internet. There was even a short-lived laserdisc phase. VHS was nice while it lasted, but it's quickly on the outs in favor of more durable digital formats. I think the most common ways to see a movie lately, have been DVD or television. So, here's our verdict on which way to go.

Pros TV: The convenience of movies on television is definitely a bonus. Making a special trip to the store, incurring late fees and even awaiting your next DVD via post can be a drag. Several channels, such as AMC and IFC offer uninterrupted viewing, eliminating the need to mute those pesky commercials. If cable is an option, On Demand offers a variety of films that can easily be rewound, paused and fast forwarded, just like a DVD. The list of free movies changes frequently and new releases can be purchased, often for a lower cost than at the video store.

Pros DVD: The invention of the DVD was an absolute improvement over VHS. Not only do they not wear out and streatch like magnetic tape will, the picture quality and chapter-to-chapter scrolling make this format superb (not to mention the elimination of the need to rewind). DVDs usually include subtitles in several languages, extra features, behind the scenes peeks and commentaries that were never available before. Plus, if you've got the time, DVDs can be watched over and over again without incurring extra cost. DVDs are frequently available in widescreen format as well, which allows you to see the entire screen shot.

Cons TV: Watching a movie on television has its share of drawbacks. If you elect to see a film this way, you must put up with a number of detriments. First, there are commercials. Even if you can avoid those, networks almost always edit your films for time, content and the dreaded "formatted to fit your screen". You see, when filmmakers set up camera, they usually intend for what they're shooting to end up on a movie theater sized screen. Notice the rectangular shape of a theater screen. Now, notice the shape of your TV at home (unless you've got a fancy wide-screen version). It's square, isn't it? That means, when a movie is formatted, each end of the picture must be severed to account for the change in size and shape. That's what is often referred to as "pan and scan". So, not only are you missing part of the original picture, you must rely on the editors to focus on the most important bits of the shot. They don't always do a great job of this. If you have children watching, it might be important to you to have some of the dialogue edited so as not to offend their delicate ears. But, being the purist that I am, I enjoy viewing a film in the most original format possible. And, if English isn't your first language or if it isn't the original language of the film, the availability of subtitled versions is limited. Even On Demand is flawed. The newest releases are around $5 and you can only review the movie for 24 hours without paying again. The selection of free movies is terribly lacking and even something as recent as Top Gun is off the list. Normally, you will find yourself settling for a B grade horror flick that never even made it to theaters.

Cons DVD: Unless you have Netflix or something similar, renting a DVD comes with the inconvineince of running back to the store or paying an extra charge for returning your selection late. The discs can get lost or broken or arrive so scratched up that they're unreadable. Then, there's the financial factor. Are you willing to shell out the charges to keep a movie for a few measly days? I'm often surprised at the bill from my local video store.

While either option carries its advantages and disadvantages, I overwhelmingly recommend DVDs. The selection is usually broader, the movies are available unedited, and the special features often shed some light into the movie that one may not gather otherwise. But take my advice and always, always rent the widescreen version!

Update: Communication

2008-08-24T21:34:00.003-06:00

A short while ago, a new feature was added to Gummi Popcorn. Towards the bottom of the left nav bar, we've added a widget that tracks our visitors from all over the globe. We were pleasantly surprised to find that GP has a number of international visitors. Welcome! We're ecstatic to have folks from South America, Europe and even Australia here and hope that you continue reading and enjoying our reviews!

Also, there is currently a small mailing list circulating. Members of the mailing list get alerts whenever GP is updated with a new review or post. Several of our readers get the newest GP updates through Google reader, but if you don't have gmail, the mailing list is the way to go. Anyone is welcome to subscribe or unsubscribe as they wish. All you need to do is leave a comment on this post with your email address. As usual, your email addresses will not be published here. We will simply record your addy and delete your comment, so that it will not be published on the web.

We whole-heartedly welcome all of our visitors! Please continue to read and submit your comments. There are still openings for Gummi Award nominations (foreign movies are definitely eligible), so what are you waiting for?

The Devil's Backbone (2001)

2008-08-24T18:39:00.008-06:00

a.k.a. El Espinazo del Diablo (Spanish title)
Directed by: Guillermo del Toro
Format: On Demand
Starring: Íñigo Garcés, Eduardo Noriega, Federico Luppi, Irene Visedo, Fernando Tielve
Trailer

I'd first seen a trailer for The Devil's Backbone some years ago in an art haus theater. I don't remember what I'd gone there to see, but I remember keeping this Spanish movie in the back of my mind. So, on a dark and stormy recent night after a few martinis, I'd only barely convinced myself not to stop at the video store on the way home. On Demand, I reasoned, would have to suffice in the name of my budget (Grey Goose martinis are seldom cheap). But, I was lucky that night and happened upon The Devil's Backbone in the horror menu. It was just the perfect selection for my mood and one I'd seemed to have put off for too long. I remember seeing del Toro in person, at a special screening of an early film in Austin. Of course, he went on to direct Pan's Labrynth, so the credentials behind this movie are substatial.

Somewhere, in a rural area of war-torn Spain, there is an orphanage. An old widow, Carmen (played by Marisa Paredes), runs the boy's home with the gold left behind by her late husband. After, Carlos (Tielve) loses his father, family friends leave him in the care of Carmen. With his stash of comic books and wind-up toys, the boy makes fast friends. Jaime (Garcés) is the resident bully and he's not terribly impressed with Carlos, and maybe a little jelous. During his first night, Carlos learns that the orphanage harbors a secret - there's a ghost roaming about. He also learns that the young handyman, Jacinto (Noriega) has a thirst for gold. The war hovers nearer their doorsteps and yet their greatest threat may come from inside. Is it the little boy's ghost or the greedy Jacinto that will ruin them all? What horrible secret is Jaime privy to? Where is the gold hidden and who will come out of this place alive?

History not being my strong suit, I couldn't begin to tell you which famous Spanish war is raging in The Devil's Backbone. del Toro knows though, and he seems fond of showing its effects on children. In both this film and in Pan's Labrynth, he depicts the orphans of this particular entaglement. While not concentrating on the fighting itself, he chooses to explore the lives of who may have been left behind. I tend to sympathize with his choice. Often, history is told of heroes and noble generals, not the underestimated courage of people on the fringe. His focus is poinant and special.

No matter what language, good acting shines through. For a child actor, Ferando Tielve does an impressive job. The majority of the boys do what they do best - be boys. The best character by far, was Irene Visedo. She plays a tough, amputee widow with dignity and grace. Íñigo Garcés was a little less convincing and I think he was chosen mostly for his eye-candy factor (if you're into that sort of thing). His girlfriend, Conchita (played by Irene Visedo) is a noble character, but really little more than an ornament in this film. All around, half of the cast acted suburbly and the other half was so-so.

The Devil's Backbone is really a story within a story. The dual plot keeps things interesting and the perspective of the young characters makes the film refreshing. I liked the way the movie was shot, with plenty of dusty browns and shadows. I think the bomb might have been developed a little more as an aspect of the film. It's hinted at and maybe some of the symolism escaped me, but it could have played a bigger part. This movie is not as fanciful, even considering the ghost, as Pan's Labrynth and I believe that there was more room for that fantastic aspect. One thing's for certain though, I shouldn't have waited so long to see The Devil's Backbone.

Overall Rating: 3 1/2 stars
Hottie Rating: 1, maybe

Alternate Recommendation: Pan's Labrynth
Official Site IMDB Page
The Austin Chronicle's review

***Note: If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

Boy Eats Girl (2005)

2008-08-23T14:03:00.009-06:00

Directed by: Stephen Bradley
Format: On Demand
Starring: Samantha Mumba, David Leon, Tadgh Murphy, Laurance Kinlan
Trailer

I have my issues with the free movies that come with my On Demand cable. Usually, it's hard to find anything worth the time to see. Most times, those movies are the ones you pay for. However, I've noticed that certain factors determine what goes onto the free menu and one of them seems to be country of origin. It appears that American audiences are reluctant to watch anything from foreign lands unless that movie has made it to the Oscars or has attained "cult status". Lucky for me, these are the kinds of movies I like to watch and I never balk at subtitles. While Boy Eats Girl does not require English subtitles, it does come from Ireland. Oh, and - bonus! - all the guys have delicious Irish accents!

Boy Eats Girl revolves around a foursome group of friends; Jessica, Nathan, Diggs and Henry. The four high-schoolers (although they all look like they're in their mid-twenties) have been friends for a while and Nathan's began to take a shine to Jessica. His friends arrange a meeting between the two to force Nathan to finally ask Jessica out. But, on that fateful night, Jessica's father won't let her out of the house and Nathan gets tired of waiting. As he's headed home, he catches sight of his potential girlfriend (who managed to sneak out eventually) in a car with another guy. His hopes dashed and his heart broken, he goes to his room and proceeds to drink heavily. As he's toying with the idea of hanging himself, his mother bursts in and accidentally completes the deed.

Previously, as his mother was painting a chapel, she'd stumbled across an ancient book of voodoo. So, she goes back to steal it and uses black magic to resurrect her son. As everyone knows though, if you mess with the dark arts, something's bound to go awry. Nathan wakes up the following morning with no recollection of the night's events and a terrible hunger he can't quite alleviate. He decides to show up at the school dance and ends up in a fight with the class bully. Guess who gets bitten. From that point forward, there's a string of gruesome incidents, eventually turning everyone in town into flesh-eating zombies.

If you've read a few of my reviews, you will have noticed that I heart gore. Boy Eats Girl does not disappoint in that regard. There's one scene in particular in which Jessica uses a piece of farm equipment to puree a group of attackers. It's lovely! Intestines spill, heads explode, internal organs are obliterated - in short, it's a lovely display! The dismembered pieces are a bit rubbery, but that can be easily overlooked in the name of comedy.

The essence of the film is one quarter romantic comedy, three fourths Shawn of the Dead. While the dialogue and the humor of Boy Eats Girl don't quite meet the level of the British film, it's not a total loss. For one thing, it wasn't nearly as hyped. The teenage team has the advantage of a stronger, faster Nathan who hasn't yet given in to the madness of the flesh. If you ask me, he should have eaten the class slut, but that's beside the point. The mother and son actually have a decent relationship, which is absent in most films about teenagers. The attraction between Nathan and Jessica is cute, but not particularly compelling. I was satisfied that the girl could kick ass. Plot-wise the movie was entertaining, not spectacular.

The cast is typically well-rounded; there's the slut, the bully, the dork and the stoner-types. Diggs (Murphy) and Henry (Kinlan) provide most of the comedic element. Mumba and Leon are okay actors and do quite a fair job. The worst cast member was probably Mark Huberman, who play class bully Samson. Random gang of zombies could have done a much better job of groaning and dragging their limbs. The worst they seem to do is hover about and gnash their teeth. There wouldn't have been anything wrong with a bit more horror.

So, as a discount rental or a free On Demand pick, Boy Eats Girl is a safe bet. It won't leave you in bed with the lights on and it won't have you holding your sides with laughter. On the other hand, the action and humor will hold your attention.

Overall Rating: 3
Hottie Rating: 3 (God, I love guys with accents!)

Alternate Recommendation: Fido
Official Site
IMDB Page
Dystopia Magazine review - Carol Sullivan is a bit more generous than I was.

***Note: If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

Atonement (2007)

2008-08-17T19:17:00.008-06:00

Directed by: Joe Wright
Format: On Demand
Starring: Keira Knightley, Saoirse Ronan, James McAvoy, Romola Garai, Juno Temple
Trailer

**The movie is a Gummi Awards nominee for the Most Offensive Example of Animal Testing/Cruelty category.**

One of the great things I've discovered since I began The Gummi Awards contest is that I've been pushed outside my usual boundaries. Because I have committed to watch and review every movie nominated, I find myself venturing into genres I never would have otherwise. In fact, as much as I adore film and as often as I watch them, there are plenty that slip under my radar. I'd never even heard of Atonement prior to its nomination. It's not a movie I think I would have thought to see. I do enjoy drama, but only every so often and usually when it involves my favorite actors. I also steer clear of war movies in general and while Atonement doesn't center particularly around the war, it's a substantial aspect of the plot.

This movie takes place in London during the early part of the 1940s. Young Briony (Ronan) is a clever 13 year old girl. She was born into wealth and spends her time writing plays. She's got a crush on Robbie Turner (McAvoy), her elder of about 10 years, who works for her family. Robbie has fallen in love with Briony's older sister, Cecilia (Knightley). When Robbie writes a note to her, he gives it to Briony to deliver. But, it's the wrong note and when Briony sneaks a peek at it, she gets the idea that dear Robbie is a bit depraved. That very same night, she stumbles across the scene of a crime. Her cousin Lola is being raped and she catches the assailant in the act. Although she catches only a brief glimpse of the man, she tells the authorities that she's sure it was Robbie Turner.

Robbie is arrested and sentenced on Briony's testimony. Faced with doing time or joining the war effort, Robbie goes off to fight the Germans. Cecilia, who returns Robbie's love, commits to wait for him to return and shuns her family. Realizing what she's done by accusing the man her sister loves, Briony denys an education at Cambridge and enrolls in nursing school. While Robbie and Cecilia yearn to be together, Briony leads an almost nun-like existence, still writing and still hoping to make things right.

Make no mistake, Atonement is a serious drama. There's no comic relief and no airy atmosphere to distract from the tragedy. The love affair between Robbie and Cecilia is a tortured one full of longing, hope, and pain. Briony doesn't have it easy either. She is learning the full scope of consequences resulting from her action. Really, the story isn't about the pair of lovers, even though they get the majority of the screen time. It's truly about young Briony growing up and trying to cope with her actions. The plot is solid, well told and very moving. It's also inventive and original.

Atonement is superbly acted as well. I thought Ronan did the best of the three actresses who portray Briony. She's intense but childlike at the same time. McAvoy is so utterly charming that it's impossible not to fall in love with his character. Knightley is an actress that I haven't decided whether to like or not. I enjoyed her performance in The Jacket, but could barely stand her in the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Her portrayal of Cecilia in Atonement has swung her once again toward the positive verdict. Even the supporting cast does a wonderful job in each of their various roles. Lola is a veritable Lolita, but innocent all the same.

This movie was very depressing. Not on the scale of Eternal Sunshine, but close. However, I appreciate a film that makes me feel something over a bland romantic comedy. The love between the two main characters is palpable and I wanted every moment for them to be together. While it's Briony who's caused all the trouble, it's difficult to hate her completely. The ending was nicely done and unexpected. I love the originality of Atonement and the fact that it portrayed the horrors of war without making the leap to become a "war movie". It's a beautiful film and one that I recommend, as long as you have a box of tissues and a bottle of Prozac handy.

Overall Rating: 4
Hottie Rating: 4 1/2 (for the library scene)

Alternate Recommendation: The Illusionist
Official Site
IMDB Page
Salon.com review

***Note: If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

Update: Director List

2008-08-14T21:18:00.003-06:00

As you may have noticed, there's a little bit of maintenance going on here at GP. Our list of directors was getting a bit long. So, we've broken it up into sections. Now you can pinpoint a range of director names instead of searching through the entire list. If you're looking for our latest review, go straight to it by clicking in the New Reviews section in the left-hand nav bar.

Director List: Y thru Z

2008-08-14T21:02:00.003-06:00

**Note: This list consists only of directors noted in my reviews, and only their movies that I have reviewed. It is not meant to be all inclusive by any means.***

Mennan Yapo

Premonition

David Yates

Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix

[A-C] [D-F] [G-I] [J-L] [M-O] [P-R] [S-U] [V-X]

Director List: V thru X

2008-08-14T21:01:00.004-06:00

**Note: This list consists only of directors noted in my reviews, and only their movies that I have reviewed. It is not meant to be all inclusive by any means.***

Gore Verbinski

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

The Weather Man

Peter Weir

Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World

James Wong

Final Destination 3

Joe Wright

Atonement

[A-C] [D-F] [G-I] [J-L] [M-O] [P-R] [S-U] [Y-Z]

Director List: S thru U

2008-08-14T21:00:00.004-06:00

**Note: This list consists only of directors noted in my reviews, and only their movies that I have reviewed. It is not meant to be all inclusive by any means.***

Tony Scott

Domino

Takashi Shimizu

The Grudge

M. Night Shyamalan

Lady In the Water
Unbreakable

Bryan Singer

Superman Returns

David Slade

Hard Candy

30 Days of Night

Christopher Smith

Creep

Stephen Sommers

Van Helsing

Steven Spielberg

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Munich

The Spierig Brothers

UnDead

John Stockwell

Turistas
Into the Blue

Bryan Taylor

Crank

[A-C] [D-F] [G-I] [J-L] [M-O] [P-R] [V-X] [Y-Z]

Director List: P thru R

2008-08-14T20:58:00.004-06:00

**Note: This list consists only of directors noted in my reviews, and only their movies that I have reviewed. It is not meant to be all inclusive by any means.***

Danny Pang

The Messengers

George Pavlou

Rawhead Rex

Mark Pellington

The Mothman Prophecies

Sam Raimi

Spiderman 3

Harold Ramis

The Ice Harvest

Ivan Reitman

Evolution

Jason Reitman

Juno

Kevin Reynolds

The Count of Monte Cristo

George A. Romero

Land of the Dead

Gary Ross

Seabiscuit

[A-C] [D-F] [G-I] [J-L] [M-O] [S-U] [V-X] [Y-Z]

Director List: M thru O

2008-08-14T20:49:00.006-06:00

**Note: This list consists only of directors noted in my reviews, and only their movies that I have reviewed. It is not meant to be all inclusive by any means.***

Terrence Malick

The New World

Michael Mann

Collateral

Greg Marcks

11:14

Neil Marshall

The Descent

John Maybury

The Jacket

Paul McGuigan

Lucky Number Slevin

Adam McKay

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

Hiroyuki Morita

The Cat Returns (a.k.a. Neko No Ongaeshi)

Hideo Nakata

The Ring Two

Mark Neveldine

Crank

Andrew Niccol

Lord of War

Christopher Nolan

The Prestige

The Dark Knight

Patrick O'Brien

Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World

[A-C] [D-F] [G-I] [J-L] [P-R] [S-U] [V-X] [Y-Z]

Masayuki Ochiai

Shutter

Director List: J thru L

2008-08-14T20:42:00.009-06:00

**Note: This list consists only of directors noted in my reviews, and only their movies that I have reviewed. It is not meant to be all inclusive by any means.***

Lewis Jackson

Christmas Evil a.k.a. You Better Watch Out

Norman Jewison

Only You

Fritz Lang

M

Francis Lawrence

Constantine

I Am Legend

Ang Lee

Brokeback Mountain

Jonathan Liebesman

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning

Richard Linklater

A Scanner Darkly

[A-C] [D-F] [G-I] [M-O] [P-R] [S-U] [V-X] [Y-Z]

Director List: G thru I

2008-08-14T20:35:00.009-06:00

**Note: This list consists only of directors noted in my reviews, and only their movies that I have reviewed. It is not meant to be all inclusive by any means.***

Christophe Gans

Silent Hill

Mackye Gruber

The Butterfly Effect (with Eric Bress)

Christopher Guest

Best In Show

Mikael Hafstrom

Derailed

1408

Michael Hamilton-Wright

The Mangler 2

Mary Harron

The Notorious Bettie Page

Hal Hartley

Fay Grim

Alfred Hitchcock

Notorious

Mike Hodges

I'll Sleep When I'm Dead

Ron Howard

The Da Vinci Code

Shuqin Huang

A Soul Haunted By Painting

Peter Hyams

A Sound of Thunder

Running Scared - 1986

Alejandro González Iñárritu

Babel

[A-C] [D-F] [J-L] [M-O] [P-R] [S-U] [V-X] [Y-Z]

Director List: D thru F

2008-08-14T20:28:00.009-06:00

**Note: This list consists only of directors noted in my reviews, and only their movies that I have reviewed. It is not meant to be all inclusive by any means.***

Jonathan Dayton

Little Miss Sunshine

Jan de Bont

The Haunting

Guillermo del Toro

The Devil's Backbone

Jon Favreau

Iron Man

Gary Fleder

Runaway Jury

John Flynn

Brainscan

Marc Forster

Stranger Than Fiction

[A-C] [G-I] [J-L] [M-O] [P-R] [S-U] [V-X] [Y-Z]

Director List: A thru C

2008-08-14T20:24:00.009-06:00

**Note: This list consists only of directors noted in my reviews, and only their movies that I have reviewed. It is not meant to be all-inclusive by any means.***

Wes Anderson

The Darjeeling Limited

Darren Aronofsky

The Fountain

Brian Avenet-Bradley

Dark Remains

Timur Bekmambetov

Night Watch a.k.a Nochnoy Dozor

Wanted

Peter Berg

Hancock

Brian Bertino

The Strangers

Stephen Bradley

Boy Eats Girl

Eric Bress

The Butterfly Effect (with Mackye Gruber)

Tim Burton

Big Fish

Sleepy Hollow

Martin Campbell

Casino Royale

Alfonso Caurón

Great Expectations

Jay Chandrasekhar

Beerfest

Larry Charles

Borat: Cultural Learnings of American for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan

Oxide Pang Chun

The Messengers

Ethan & Joel Coen

No Country for Old Men
Burn After Reading

Chris Columbus

Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone

Sophia Coppola

Marie Antoinette

Cameron Crowe

Almost Famous

Andrew Currie

Fido

[D-F] [G-I] [J-L] [M-O] [P-R] [S-U] [V-X] [Y-Z]

Update

2008-08-11T15:06:00.003-06:00

Often times, we here at GP get the urge to expand on a topic that reaches outside of the scope of one film. Often, it centers around a particular director, or a perceived problem about the industry in general.

At the end of each post, you will find a list of tags or labels. Follow these links to find all of the posts tagged with that particular word or phrase. For instance, if you look at the review for Premonition, you will find 6 links at the bottom. These links are the first letter of the movie title (P), the name of the director (Yapo), the year the film was released (2007), the genre (Drama), the format in which the movie was viewed (DVD) and, since Premonition was nominated for an award, the phrase (gummi awards). Clicking on any one of these links will take you to a list of all the posts that share that link. So, every movie at GP that begins with the letter P can be reached by clicking the P at the bottom of the post.

To satisfy our need to explore broad topics here at GP, we've decided to add a new category - Editorials. The editorials will be titled as such and be tagged as well. There will also be a link added to the left nav bar that leads to all of the editorials. We hope you will enjoy reading these posts as much as you enjoy reading our reviews! Editorials in the works - Movies vs. Television, The Problem with Theaters, To Sub or To Dub, and What To Look For When Renting.

The Dark Knight (2008)

2008-08-10T18:44:00.009-06:00

Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Format: Theater
Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal
Trailer

Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Craig - Bond. Michael Keaton, George Clooney, Val Kilmer, Christain Bale - Batman. No matter who you put in the suit, some franchises live on. Some men fill out the suit better. Some men play the ladies' man with more finesse. But no matter how good or how bad, people always flock to the characters they know the best. That, my friends, is why movies like the 007 series and the Batman series will be revisited by the film industry over and over again. After Batman and Robin in 1997, I thought Hollywood had murdered my favorite caped crusader. When Batman Begins resurrected Gotham in 2005, my hopes were lifted a bit. So, did Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale disappoint in round 2? Does Heath Ledger's last performance live up to the "legendary" status his death has created?

In The Dark Knight, Batman is beginning to get a little bit of help. Officer Gordon (Oldman) has become Commissioner Gordon and a new district attorney, Harvey Dent (Eckhart), is ambitious enough to take on the mob. It looks as if Gotham City may finally see a ray of light at the end of a dark reign of crime. Hold off on that sigh of relief though, because organized crime may not be the biggest menace the city faces. A new face has arrived to challenge Batman, and it's a painted one. The Joker's got no fingerprints and no identity and he doesn't seem to crave power or money. So, how do you fight a man you don't understand? How do you deal with this new flavor of criminal?

In the original comic book series, The Dark Knight represented a more grim and introspective side of Batman. He was a Batman with a shadow over his head and one who was inherently more dangerous. But, the movie version doesn't present that same troubled hero. Instead, it makes Harvey Dent the shining light and Batman not much more than a ready and willing scapegoat. The plot, however, has intensified since Batman Begins. There's more at stake and not everyone will come out alive or unharmed. The appearance of The Joker does make an impact and it isn't business as usual anymore. There's more of a puzzle to be solved in this new movie. The new movie isn't without its' faults, however. There are a lot of unanswered questions at the end of 152 minutes. What happened to the Chinese crook who was so prominent a threat in the beginning? How did The Scarecrow get out of custody? Why isn't Wayne all that upset that his girlfriend is dating Dent?

Whenever a new actor comes along to fill the shoes of another, there's always a comparison. So, naturally, the question comes about, "Is Heath Ledger as good as Jack Nicholson as The Joker?" Well, my answer to that is, "perspective". It was 1989 when Nicholson donned the purple suit and clown makeup of Batman's greatest foe. There were a different set of expectations back then, and Nicholson filled them memorably. But, it's nearly twenty years since that moment and we're all expecting something different. Ledger is not the same Joker as Nicholson was. But, he wasn't trying to be. Initially, when I saw the trailers for The Dark Knight, I had the opposite impression. However, Ledger is a more thoughful character. There's more mystery behind him and a certain twisted logic that added depth. There's no goofy side this time. Granted, he wasn't nearly as "dark" as everyone told me he would be. Nonetheless, I loved him. Ledger did not disappoint.

Bale, as in the last film, isn't quite as satisfying. He doesn't suit the playboy Wayne role as well and he doesn't look as good in the mask. Something about Bale's mouth has always bugged me. And, what's with the voice? Caine as Alfred plays the perfect, if nagging, butler of Wayne manor. Morgan Freeman is a great new addition to the Bat-verse as Gotham's version of Q. Maggie Gyllenhaal was just annoying in The Dark Kight, although she wasn't bad in the previous film. Oldman is the perfect choice for Gordon and I applaud that casting call in particular.

Ever since the death of Ledger, The Dark Knight has been hyped beyond reason. There was a lot of expectation. I, for one, judged it even more harshly than I might have otherwise; approached the movie with more skepticism. It wasn't the directing, the script or the production team that made this movie a success. It was the actors. My faith in Batman remains strong. I never noticed the time go by.

Overall Rating: 3 1/2
Hottie Rating: Hmm...2

Alternate Recommendation: Batman
Official Site
IMDB Site
rave Rolling Stone review

***Note: If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

Beerfest (2006)

2008-08-05T21:06:00.011-06:00

Trailer

Directed by: Jay Chandrasekhar
Format: DVD - Unrated
DVD Features: Commentary, party foul featurette, frog fluffer featurette, deleted scenes, trailer
Starring: Paul Soter, Erik Stolhanske, Cloris Leachman, Steve Lemme, Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan

**This movie was nominated for a Gummi Award in the Most Nauseating Vomit Scene category.**

America's favorite pastime? You think it's baseball? Well, I think it's drinking! I'd bet a case of your favorite brew that more people in this country drink than watch baseball. After all, what goes better at the ballpark than a pint and a bag of peanuts? So, it stands to reason that a few frat boy-ish comedies would be made about the golden elixer. If America is populated with beer-guzzling folks, what about Europe? More specifically, the famous land of Octoberfest - Germany?!

In Beerfest, two brothers, Jan and Todd Wolfhouse (Soter & Stolhanske), travel to Germany to deliver the remains of their grandfather. At Octoberfest, they manage to set off a Rube Goldberg type fiasco. Just as they're making their escape, the man their grandmother sent them to meet, Mr. Schniedelwichsen (Bjørn Johnson), rescues them and delivers them to the "real" drinking match - Beerfest! At this underground beer-lympics they learn about their family's past and have their butts kicked by the German drinking team. After returning to America in disgrace, they decide to gather the ultimate team of brew drinkers and train for next year's games.

This movie is sort of a Fight Club/Olympic Games mashup. There are a few lame gags - such as the German team spying on the Wolfhouse's in a submarine and the Jewish member of the team joining solely to beat the Germany - that will make you roll your eyes. It's not without its share of gratutious naked breasts either. There's even a frog ejaculating scene, just for gross-factor. The plot is very straightforward, as expected, and doesn't take a genius to understand. The German team is decidedly retarded, but not nearly as amusing as the Nihilists in The Big Lebowski. The movie does poke fun at itself. After one of the teammembers unexpectedly leaves the group, his twin brother shows up, needing no training and asking to be called by the same name. It's mockingly convenient.

What about dialogue? As typical of most movies of its ilk, Beerfest has a gaggle of puns and one liners. However, they manage not to drill them into the ground and a few lines incited a giggle or two ("Let's go get sour on some Krauts?"). The sight gags are on the same level. There's a sausage scene that reminded me of a few Austin Powers routines.

As befitting of a well-rounded team, there's a variety of characters involved in Beerfest. The director, Jay Chandraskehar, plays Barry - a prodigy at Quarters and ex prostitute. Landfill, played by Heffernan, is a hot-dog eating champ who used to work at the local brewery. The requisite geek on the team is Fink (Lemme) who has worked out the science of drinking. Together, they make a hilarious group and each actor has his moment. Cloris Leachman is delightful as the elderly German grandmother.

For the most part, comedy is not my bag. I've grown tired of the sight gags and potty humor. I like my laughs delivered in clever quips and sarcastic remarks. As I'm fond of saying, "I'm a Marx Bros. not a Three Stooges." From time to time though, I will indulge in a Scary Movie or two. I had my concerns about renting Beerfest and honestly only did so because of the rules of The Gummi Awards. Surprisingly, Beerfest wasn't half bad. I enjoyed the characters, the plot and the humor. It wasn't entirely low-brow either. The DVD production and special features were also above par. I'm happy with Beerfest and definately recommend checking it out at least once. It's even better with a few drinks under your belt!

Overall Rating: 3 1/2
Hottie Rating: 1 (Barry kinda has it goin' on)

Alternate Recommendation: The Big Lebowski
Offical Site
IMDB Page
Reel.com Review

***Note: If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

Almost Famous (2000)

2008-08-04T22:07:00.007-06:00

Directed by: Cameron Crowe
Format: DVD
DVD Features: making of, production notes, cast, filmmakers, trailer, Rolling Stone articles, music video
Starring: Patrick Fugit, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson, Jason Lee, Philip Seymour Hoffman

**This movie has received a Gummi Award nomination for Most Inappropriate Musical Sequence.**

Have you ever wanted to shirk your responsibilities, leave your job, leave your life and run off to follow your favorite band? The Dead Heads did it back in the day. If I was skinnier, prettier and 10 years younger, I'd run off and follow mine. Have you ever waited outside a tour bus, hoping you'd see your favorite singer, your favorite drummer and maybe, just maybe they'd take special appreciation of you and ask you to come on board? If I won the lottery, I guarantee you that I'd be following a tour bus (and blogging the whole while).

In Almost Famous, William Miller is a young boy when his older sister decides to leave home and tour the world aboard an airline. As she departs, she whispers to William that his future is awaiting him under his bed. There, he discovers a suitcase stocked with a prime selection of rock records (most of them, I recognize from my parents' collection that I used to raid as a kid). Years later, in 1973, he meets music critic Lester Bangs (Hoffman) who becomes his mentor. William publishes his writing through an underground magazine and one fateful day, Rolling Stone takes notice. They offer him $1k to follow the band Stillwater on tour.

William's mother reluctantly allows him to flee the nest, provided that there are "no drugs" involved. Along the way, he meets rock legends, a girl named Penny Lane, almost dies in a plane crash and learns about life on the road. He's torn between telling the objective truth and becoming one of the groupies. But his publisher warns him, "We already have Hunter Thompson". His mentor reminds him to always be, "honest and unmerciful".

Although the movie takes place in the Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin days, there isn't a heavy focus on period dress or psychodelic drugs. It's not without its celebrity look-alikes, mind you, but the film doesn't focus on the crazy hippie aspect of Rock 'N' Roll the way Stone's The Doors did. One odd symbol that I noticed was Lester's red telephone. It's like the Bat-phone in the Adam West series, the one that Commisioner Gordon picked up whenever there was trouble.

The acting in Almost Famous is sturdy, but not spectacular. One of the best characters, Penny Lane (Hudson), has a great line. In regards to her "non-groupie" brigade of girls and their rock-star relations, she says, "I always tell the girls, 'Never take it seriously. If you never take it seriously, you never get hurt. If you never get hurt, you always have fun. And if you ever get lonely, you just go to the record store and visit your friends." Despite the great line, Lane doesn't follow her own advice. But, they could have gotten anyone to fill Penny Lane's shoes. The best acting was given by the Stillwater members themselves - well, Billy Crudup as the guitarist Russel Hammond (not a real band member?) and Jason Lee as the vocalist Jeff Bebe.

I really enjoyed Almost Famous. It takes the viewer on a tour behind stages, but without all of the drugs and debauchary that most rock-band movies rely on. The main character, William, never loses his nievete and innocence. From the perspective of a rock fan, it's a vicarious journey no matter which band you adore. From the perspective of a critic, it shines a little ray of hope. And from the viewpoint of a movie lover, although not as deep and thoughtful as some, this film is a winner. It might even make it into my permanent collection.

Overall Rating: 3 1/2 stars
Hottie Rating: eh...2 stars (props to the groupie life)

Alternate Recommendation: Velvet Goldmine
Official Site
IMDB Page
Rolling Stone review (and yes, I'm aware of the irony)

***Note: If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

Links: Vomit Editorial

2008-08-04T15:07:00.004-06:00

I came across this article online today and since it deals with one of the Gummi Awards categories, I thought I'd post a link to it for your amusement. Although I'm not in complete agreement with everything the author has to say, I think it's well-written and considerate.

Premonition (2007)

2008-08-02T22:04:00.010-06:00

Directed by: Mennan Yapo
Format: DVD
DVD Features: Commentary, deleted scenes, gag reel, making of featurette, precognition featurettes, previews
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Julian McMahon, Amber Valletta, Peter Stormare

**This movie has recieved a Gummi Awards nomination for Most Abrupt and/or Confusing Ending.***

Premonitions; visions of the future. Believe it or not, I've had them. No, I don't claim to be psychic. I can't tell you who you're going to marry or what's going to happen tomorrow, but I have had dreams that came true. My grandmother has too. She dreamed about Kennedy. I dreamed about 9-11. Sounds kind of loopy, I know. The trouble is, I can never tell if it's just a dream or if it will happen. It's unreliable. But, if you watch the precognition featurette on this DVD, you'll find out that some people's visions are much more dependable. It presents a paradox. Is the future certain? Can you alter it if you know about it? Would you choose to have this ability if you could? Would you like to know the future, even if you couldn't change it? There has been a lot of research on the subject, a lot of speculation, and a lot of movies. Premonition is one of them.

Linda Hanson wakes up one morning and goes about her homemaker routine as usual. She takes the kids to school, she does the laundry and she goes for a jog. Then, there's a knock at her door. The officer on her portch tells her that her husband has been in a fatal car accident. Predictably, she's in shock and grief sets in. That night, she falls asleep on her sofa and the next morning, everything has changed. Not because her husband is gone, not because her children are fatherless, but because her husband...is in the shower! The next morning, she walks downstairs to find a funeral and the next, her husband is cooking pancakes for the kids. Is she going mad, she wonders? She seeks help. She tries a doctor, she tries a priest, and when she realizes that she's not insane, she tries to stop it. But, after she finds out why her husband has been so distant, does she still want to?

Although there isn't much to the movie visually (i.e. special effects, period costume), there is a lot of symbolism in Premonition. Images of crows are consistent throughout the film and Linda's daughters are working on a jigsaw puzzle in the story. The crows, naturally, giving a feeling of forebodeing and the puzzle metaphorically representing the clues and events that Linda is piecing together in the plot. The two symbols also serve to show the relative time involved. Little things like that really help the viewers in movies like these, but aren't terrbily subtle in this film.

The premonition that Linda has in the movie feels less like visions of the future and more like time travel. She moves through the movie with memories intact, while people she saw yesterday, don't know her name the next. Which, of course, presents certain paradox, just like the time travel theory. If you can see the future, can you change it? And if you can, then does it really mean you predicted the future? Premonition gets through the maze of "what if?"s fairly easily, but we're left with some questions. Whether or not she can save her husband is a big one, but not something I'm going to give away here. Some of mine were, "Who's really that close to their life insurance agent?", "What churches have cushioned pews?" and, "Why the Hell doesn't she call 9-11?"

I've never been a Sandra Bullock fan, nor counted her as one of the world's great actresses. However, I think she does a decent job in Premonition. Bullock convincingly portrays a woman dealing with great loss, motherhood and a failing grip on sanity. It's easy to take her seriously in the role of Linda Hanson; put yourself in her shoes. Her husband, Jim (played by Julian McMahon) is mostly a prick. The couple are having the usual marital issues. McMahon is passable in the role, but not extraordinary. Playing Linda's doctor, is Peter Stormare. You might remember him as the homicidal kidnapper in Fargo. With that association, I can never see him in a film and not consider him a "bad guy". And really, he isn't such a "good guy" in Premonition either. McMahon is good at what he does, but he doesn't seem to have much range.

When I went to the video store to check out this movie, I was thinking that, for some odd reason, this was the one about the lake house with Keanu Reeves. When I plugged it into the DVD player, I realized that I'd already seen this movie! So, it's an amusing side note that I was renting a movie that I'd seen in the past. For a Hollywood film, with a fairly tame plotline, Premonition wasn't half bad. It even raised some ponderous questions. At one point in the film, Linda is talking to her priest (Jude Ciccolella) in an attempt to get some direction. He mentions the theory that "nature abhorrs a vaccuum, even spiritually", basically amounting to her visions being gifted to her because of a lack of faith. I found that an interesting subject and not totally off the wall, even considering (or maybe more due to) my athiesm.

In the end, I don't think Premonition was a complete waste of time. It won't make it into my personal collection, but my initial chagrin at having rented it twice didn't sustain itself. If you want to see Bullock in a reputable role and you want a drama that's not overwhelmingly deep, Premonition might be the rental for you. It was thought-provoking on some levels, but lacked the sort of spice, style and excitement that makes truly entertaining cinema. And thusly, I endow the following rating.

Overall Rating: 2 1/2 stars
Hottie Rating: 0 stars

Alternate Recommendation: Memento
Official Site
IMDB Page
Reel.com review

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Running Scared (1986)

2008-08-02T19:12:00.008-06:00

Directed by: Peter Hyams
Format: DVD
DVD Features: Outtakes/Behind the scenes, trailer
Starring: Billy Crystal, Gregory Hines, Dan Hedaya, Joe Pantoliano

**This movies has been nominated for a Gummi Award in the Best Dialogue category.**

I'm old enough to remember the 1980's. The hair, the spandex, the sport coats...the legwarmers (shudder). If there was a committee to suppress the comeback of legwarmers, I'd join up. As much as I detest the fashion and a great majority of the music from that decade, there are moments when I recall it with amusement. Thoses moments are mostly connected to the period's rare gems of film. I've ranted before about all of the great movies I remember from the 80's, bit it's the advances in technology that I get a kick out of. There's just something about a cell phone the size of a dictionary that cracks me up. Yes, Running Scared features one such phone and even a box of 8-track tapes!

Running Scared is a mid-eighties "buddy cop" comedy. Danny Costanzo (Crystal) and Ray Hughes (Hines) are officers with The Chicago Police Department. The pair are a little rough around the edges and don't always do things by the book. Nevertheless, they get the job done. Their latest case involves a known drug smuggler - Julio Gonzales (Jimmy Smits), who has been recently released from prison and is already up to no good. Hughes and Costanzo are on the case, sure that something smells fishy but lack the evidence to back up their hunch. They capture one of Gonzales' henchmen, Snake (Pontoliano) and convince him to wear a wire - unaware that they're about to tangle an undercover op.

The banter between the two partners is often clever and amusing. In one scene, the pair get held up by a couple of petty theives. Far from being rattled, Costanzo and Hughes exchange whitty remarks, "Pointing a gun at a police officer - can we waste them for that?" They also take quite a bit of liberty with The Miranda Rights. What makes the comedy here so effective is the delivery. Each line is delivered with a straight face, expert timing and so nonchalant that they're often easy to miss.

The plot, on the other hand, leaves something to be desired. It's very typical of the genre and the era. In Running Scared, can be found the following: the requisite hard ass Sargent, the suspended leave of absence for bad behavior, the pissed off ex wife and the familiar "bad guy kidnaps loved ones" scenario. But, certain scenes make up for the unoriginal content. I particularly enjoyed the car chase on the train tracks, the rigged police line-up and the ways Hughes finds to distract his lover's boyfriend. One thing I didn't expect was the ending. Have you seen the Simpson's "Schwarzenegger/Mendoza" send up? Well, without giving too much away, I'll just say that it always seems to be a curse when cops decide to retire.

I got more than I'd hoped for with Running Scared. I expected to groan and roll my eyes a lot, but I didn't expect to laugh. I expected cheesy one-liners, race related humor and terrible hair. I even expected Hines to do some dancing. On all counts, I was pleasantly surprised. There's a reason Crystal was a star.

Overall Rating: 3 1/2
Hottie Rating: 0

Alternate Recommendation: Rush Hour
Official Site (none found)
IMDB Page
DVD Verdict review (and I swear I wrote my review before I read this one!)

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Best in Show (2000)

2008-08-02T19:00:00.010-06:00

Directed by: Christopher Guest
Format: DVD
DVD Features: commentary, added scenes, trailer, cast & crew
Starring: Eugene Levy, Cahterine O'Hara, Perker Posey, Christopher Guest
Trailer

***A character in this movie, Sherri Ann Cabot (Jennifer Coolidge), has received a Gummi Award nomination for Dumbest Blonde.***

If you're a dog lover, or just an animal enthusiast, you might have seen the Eukanuba or the Westminster dog shows. The preening, the prancing, the judging. They're the dog world's version of The Ms. America Pagaent. Believe it or not, there is a lot of money to be had in this business. Winners can charge sky-high fees for breeding, be hired for endorsements and the blue ribbon comes with a great deal of prestige. For some, this is the Super Bowl, the Stanley Cup, the pinnacle achievement for handlers, owners and breeders alike. If you're not in the business, all of the special doggie diets and pet psychologists might seem a trifle silly. Christopher Guest took notice of all the silliness and fashioned a mock-umentary entitled Best In Show.

Best In Show follows the lives of five eccentric groups of contestants and their canines as they make their way through The Mayflower Dog Show. At home, contestants are interviewed about their backgrounds. Preparing for the big event are hotel staff, convention centers, judges and announcers. As the pressure mounts, and the big day is at hand, tempers flare, complications arise and the true characters of man and dog alike are revealed.

The key element of Best In Show is really the colorful cast of characters. The previous winners are at the Mayflower are the owner and handler of Rhapsody In White, a pristine white poodle. Sherri Ann Cabot (Jennifer Coolidge) is the wealthy and dim-whitted dog owner who travels to Philadelphia with Rhapsody's handler Christy Cummings (Jane Lynch). Equally ambitious are Megan and Hamilton Swan, two attorneys with the drive to take their Weimaraner to the top. The flamboyant owners of a little Shih Tzu, Stefan Vanderhoof and Scott Donaln, want to prance home with the blue ribbon as well. Another pair of contenders, Cookie and Gerry Fleck are the hometown types with their terrier, Winkie, in the running. Rounding out the contenders are Harlan Pepper and his hound dog.

There are a group of prize-winning scenes in Best In Show. One of which is the busy bee scene. The two owners of the Weimaraner are unbelieveably high strung. Posey plays the wife, Megan Swan, and when the couple lose the dog's favorite toy, a "busy bee", Megan tears apart their hotel room to find it. Then, she tears apart the mild-mannered petshop clerk downstairs. The amusing thing is that the dog involved could care less and Swan demonstrates that she clearly knows nothing about her dog. The couple who own the Shih Tzu are quite a pair as well. Scott is a flambouant homosexual, who amuses himself by shocking the straight-folk. His partner, Stefan is a more reserved queen and hairdresser. The two form an Odd Couple sort of relationship which garnered a few chuckles from yours truly. Sherri Ann Cabot is well-deserving for a Dumbest Blonde prize (although the verdict's still out). At one point in the movie, she steps up to the consession stand and orders a tub of popcorn, "half salt, half butter". Then, she muches away while awaiting a message from herself. The pair of commentators is also a quirky pair. Buck Laughlin (played by Fred Willard) handles the show as a layman, devoid of any sense of delicacy or knowledge of breeds. His counterpart, Trevor Beckwith (Jim Piddock) is the stuffy yet knowledgable gentleman. The pair play off of each other neatly.

Each of the actors in this movie play their characters with a straight face and pinpoint delivery. There really wasn't one player that I thought screwed the pooch on this one. I applaud all of the cast in Best In Show. Somewhat underappreciated, I suspect, are the dog actors in the movie. It's easy to forget that each of the animals in the film had to be trained, handled and rehearsed for their roles as well. The relationship each of the actors has with the dogs didn't just develop overnight. So, I'd like to give a great paws-up to all of the four-legged cast. The Rhapsody In White poodle was the best behaved and most convincing of the group (although the dog's real name is impossibly long).

Coming from the perspective of someone who's familiar with championship dog shows as a spectator, I thought Best In Show was a good laugh. It makes relentless fun of the obsessive dog showing crowd, but holds on to a realism that makes the comedy even more potent. As a someone who isn't typically a comedy viewer, it caters to my sense of humor and doesn't rely heavily on sight gags and low-brow fart jokes. So, if you're a dog lover or even a Eugene Levy fan, go out and rent Best in Show and have a laugh.

Overall Rating: 3 1/2
Hottie Rating: 0

Alternate Recommendation: This is Spinal Tap
Official Site
IMDB Page
Reel.com review

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Dark Remains (2005)

2008-07-23T10:45:00.008-06:00

Directed by: Brian Avenet-Bradley
Format: DVD
DVD Features: commentary, trailer, behind the scenes, deleted scenes, prison featurette
Starring: Cheri Christian, Greg Thompson, Scott Hodges, Jeff Evans, Patrick G. Keenan
trailer

(Thanks go to our reader Carrie for suggesting this review!)

The loss of a child is an event that parents deal with in different ways. Although sadness is a natural response, grief can manifest itself in many forms. Some people feel anger. Some blame themselves. Some turn to a higher power. If the parents in question happen to be in a movie though, two methods of coping are almost guaranteed to surface. One of them is watching a lot of home movies (do people still make those?) and the other seems to be moving.

When the daughter of Julie and Allen Pyke is murdered, the couple decides to rent a cabin in the hills. Mr. Pyke hopes that the relocation will provide a welcome escape and a place for his wife to recover. Julie makes her living as a professional photographer, but lost interest in her camera after the incident. With a little prodding, Allen convinces her to take a look around and try a few snapshots of the area. When she stumbles upon an abandoned prison, something strange develops. Friends of the Pykes come to visit and leave in a hurry. The cabin's hillbilly caretaker tips the couple off about the prior occupants and their grim fate. When Mr. Pyke does some digging at the town library, he discovers a string of strange deaths. It's looking more and more like the couple should vacate the premisis, but Julie has decided to stay.

Dark Remains looks very much like a low-budget movie shot with a high-budget camera. The colors are crisp and vibrant. The shots are steady and focused. While not particularly creative as far as angles and technique go, the cinematography is solid and doesn't suffer from an overdone arthaus effort (like Fay Grim). I can respect that. I can also respect a special-effects guy who's handy with the latex, spirit glue and red corn syrup. His skills are more readily apparent in the special features than in the actual film (which, perhaps, is the true test). Thank goodness the filmmakers went the old-fashioned way when it came to makeup, because if this movie had any cheap CGI, I don't think I could have sat all the way through it.

Now that the few redeeming aspects of Dark Remains have been identified, I can set to work tearing this thing apart (sorry Carrie). Where do I begin? Ah yes, the - "acting". Julie Pyke, greiving mother, is played by Cheri Christian. She seems terribly familiar to me and I thought I may have seen her as Will's love interest in Good Will Hunting. Turns out that character was played by Minnie Driver (both have that powerful jawline and chipmunk cheeks). Her character suffers from a lack of committment at best. Every time Julie announces that she refuses to do something or is determined to do another, it takes mere seconds for her to change her mind. There's no serious emotion expressed by this woman, aside from an exceptionally brief and barely tearful breakdown. As it turns out, Christian shares a cast listing in several other movies with Greg Thompson, who plays Julie's husband, Allen. Thompson his hardly a better actor. His character is more of a father than a husband, constantly following Julie around and demanding to know what she's doing. He's annoying and also boring. The only actor in this movie who is reasonably watchable is Scott Hodges. He does his best with the script as the backwoods caretaker Jim. In fact, I'm not so sure that the man isn't a creepy hillbilly in reality. I don't even want to go into the few supporting actors that remain. Maybe I should take it easy on the actors though. Maybe they aren't really to blame for the terrible characters. There is, after all, the horrible script to consider.

After watching Dark Remains, I'm left with a series of questions. 1.) How does Allen find his wife at the prison, in the dark, when he's never been there before? 2.) Shouldn't it be the county's duty to chain the doors of the abandoned prison closed, not Mr. Pyke's? 3.)How does Julie find her way back into the prison without unlocking any chains? 4.)Why does the sherrif pop in for a visit, at night, only to harrass the residents, "you didn't kill your daughter, did you? I had to ask." 5.) Why does the movie otherwise completely neglect the subject of an investigation into their child's death? That could have made a better film than this did. 6.) After the prior resident shot himself, why did the cops leave the gun laying around for the next guy to find? 7.) In a horror movie, why does the actual discovery of a body happen off-screen?! 8.) What's the deal with the coffee/tea situation?

What's the scare factor in Dark Remains? Nearly nil. Admittedly, a couple of brief shots made me jump. The problem is that the few methods the filmmaker uses to try to scare the audience are the same three over and over again. One of them is to show a character in a close shot, show that person move, and have something creepy appear in the vacated spot. Another is to use reflections to show the aparitions and the third is a series of doors that move on their own.

The dialogue is so horrible in this movie, that it would almost be preferable to mute the damn thing and play some music instead. Wait, "almost"? I mean, "definitely". If I knew a good camera man and a buddy with a cabin I could borrow, even I could have done a better job than Brian Avenet-Bradley did. I guess that's what happens when the same guy writes, edits and directs the same movie. Thank god he didn't star in it. The producer/cinematographer? - I think she's his wife. Don't waste your time with Dark Remains. Even the trailer sucks. Sadly, it's still not the worst movie I've sever seen, which goes to show that I really will watch anything.

Overall Rating: 2 stars
Hottie Rating: 0 stars

Alternate Recommendation: Shutter
Official Site
IMDB Page
The Video Graveyard review

Update: Gummi Awards

2008-07-15T08:22:00.007-06:00

Hi everyone! I want to thank all of you who have participated so far in The Gummi Awards. Soon, I'll be closing down some categories, in order to prepare the winning votes. (notice that the Best Dialogue category will close at the end of the week.) It is very important that, when you make your nominations, you include your email address! Otherwise, how will I contact you if you win the prize?? Someone just made an excellent nomination to the Most Overrated Leading Actor category, but didn't send their contact info. Once again, I won't publish your information, only your nomination. I don't sell email addresses or anything shifty like that, so you're safe with GP.

Stay tuned for my votes for the winners of The Gummi Awards!

Hancock (2008)

2008-07-05T17:54:00.008-06:00

Directed by: Peter Berg
Format: Theater
Starring: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman, Jae Head
Trailer

Ah, superhero movies. America just doesn't seem to get tired of them. Batman, Superman, Spiderman and Xmen have all jumped the pages of comic books onto the silver screen. Even lesser known characters have sprung forth to have their own feature films; Ironman, The Flash, The Shadow, Electra, Jay & Silent Bob...the list goes on. One of the most surprising developments I've seen in this vein has been The Mask. Originally, yes, it was a comic book. Then, of course, it was a string of films. Oddly, after the films came a children's cartoon. What I find strange about that series of events is that, in its original comic form, the story was so violent, so gruesome and gory, that buyers had to be 18 or older to get their hands on it. That's a far cry from Saturday morning television programming. What peaked my interest in Will Smith's latest feature, Hancock, was that this superhero seemed different. Instead of the latex costume and cape, Hancock appeared as a drunken, unshaven mess, fighting crime in sort of a half-assed fashion. It was encouraging.

Immortal, impervious, inebriated Hancock sails to the rescue during the opening scene of the movie. He's got a bottle of whiskey in one hand, having just woken from a park bench and flies gracelessly toward a police pursuit in progress. He saves the day from a truckload of machine gun wielding gangsters, but not without causing millions of dollars in property damage and leaving the vehicle skewered atop a high rise. Rather than applauding Hancock's latest escapade, the city sees him as a menace. When he saves PR man Ray Embrey, he causes a massive train wreck. But, while the witnessing citizens gather around to call him an asshole (his least favorite insult), Embrey stands up and defends his rescuer. That's when he gets the idea that Hancock could use a little polish.

As mentioned earlier, I was excited to see a new type of hero; one without the goody-two-shoes attitude and shiny uniform. But, as the trailers will show, Hancock cleans up his act. He learns how to land softly and say, "good job" to the police force. Even though he struggles with politeness and opening up in anger management therapy, he manages the transformation to respectable do-gooder. I would have enjoyed him more as a misfit. Hancock says to Ray and his wife Mary (Theron) over dinner, that he knows nothing about his past. That aspect of the man is barely touched on in the beginning, yet it becomes a major focal point halfway though the plot. The way the movie arrives at that stage is somewhat sloppy and ill conceived. The person who's the key to his past, one which he didn't seem to care about until then, is awfully convenient. It seems as if the writers were stuck mid-script and pulled up the nearest character as an answer. Even the follow through with that thread is sloppy. After pausing to work out the logistics, none of it really fits together.

Sadly, even the wonderful cast isn't enough to save Hancock's pathetic plot line. Will Smith is just as entertaining as ever, but a weak script and lackluster dialogue doesn't give the superstar much to work with. It is nice to see Smith, after many serious roles, to return to something with a little humor. However, I fear that Hancock will go down under his list of not-so-fantastic roles. Theron is beautiful and does her part to the best of her ability. But, I haven't seen her top Monster yet, and this movie certainly wasn't even close. Jason Bateman is an admirable character, a PR man with a conscience is hard to find. Bateman fit the bill nicely. He's convincing, mildly annoying and well cast. There aren't many other characters in the film worth mentioning. Hancock makes an enemy, as all superheroes must, but Eddie Marsan as Red is no Lex Luthor. It's a sad performance and in a not much developed role.

Basically, Hancock amounts to only mild amusement and gobs of eye candy. These days, eye candy will only get one so far. With a better script, a more thoughtful plot and a worthy adversary, Hancock might have been a truly entertaining cinematic experience. As it is, the movie is seriously disappointing. If you still plan to see Smith's latest feature, I recommend the theater setting over rental. What there is of this movie to enjoy, will fall to pieces once it's off the big screen.

Oh, and if you do pony up the cash for a movie ticket to Hancock, make sure you sit through the credits for a bit.

Overall Rating: 3 stars
Hottie Rating: 2 stars (no rippling abs in this one)

Alternate Recommendation: Unbreakable
Official Site
IMDB Page
SF Gate review

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Wanted (2008)

2008-07-03T08:04:00.009-06:00

Directed by: Timur Bekmambetov
Format: Theater
Starring: Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Thomas Kretschmann

Movies involving hit men, secret societies and slo-mo gun shots aren't scarce these days, nor have they been for quite some time. So, why do they keep showing up in theaters? Well, the reason is obvious - they make money. People world-wide love to see a good shoot-out. But, the spaghetti westerns of old have given way to more high-tech weaponry and flashy special effects. I think the art of the gunfight was renewed here in the United States, when John Woo was discovered. His films in Hong Kong, like Hard Boiled and The Killer, made battling with guns beautiful. Seeing Chow Yun Fat and Danny Lee face off was like well-choreographed Kung-Fu. Sadly, much of Woo's magic was lost upon arriving on American shores. Then in 1999, The Matrix showed us that, if you can slow down bullets you can be a superstar. Watching Wanted reminded me a lot of the Wachowski brothers' successful debut.

Wesley Gibson (McAvoy) is a typical cube-farm drone with no backbone to speak of. His girlfriend's cheating on him, his boss is a royal bitch and his bank account is overdrawn. However, this sniveling anxiety-ridden excuse for a man soon discovers that he's meant for greater things. While filling his prescription at the local pharmacy, Wesley suddenly becomes the target of a mysterious gunman. As it so happens, he's the son of a magnificent assassin - one that just recently met a grim fate. Now the killer is after the young Gibson. Luckily for him, a member of a secret society of talented killers, Fox (Jolie), comes to his rescue. When ringleader Sloan (Freeman) and Fox reveal to Wesley his inheritance - mad gun fighting skills and a sizable chunk of money - he tells his boss to piss off and goes into training to become a badass.

Wanted borrows many plot devices from other films, but it doesn't feel like a rip-off. As in classic 70's-style martial arts films, the young star finds himself facing a fierce enemy and is defeated. So, the character spends the rest of the movie in training for a rematch. Wesley Gibson is a pathetic mess at first, but then finds a series of "masters" from which he can gain expert training so that he can hunt down his father's killer. Another oft-repeated element in recent films has been that of the disgruntled office worker shrugging off the shackles of modern society. Wanted has that feature too, somewhat reminiscent of an angry Edward Norton in Fight Club (but not quite as cool). Slow motion camera work and creative fight scenes are highly suggestive of The Matrix trilogy, complete with a sexy senior partner to guide the main character along.

So what is it, despite all the commonalities, that separates Wanted from so many other action genre fodder? Part of what makes this movie stand apart is the cast and director. Angelina Jolie, for me, is a gamble when it comes to performance. In films like Mr. & Mrs. Smith and The Good Shepherd, I found her a bit annoying and lacking any special spark. She performs terrifically, however, in this movie. She's sexy and mysterious, but very dedicated (not to mention her bitchin' tattoos). (I nearly wrote "not just eye candy", but everything in this movie is eye candy) Morgan Freeman is generally a safe bet as a seasoned actor, but is very similar to his character in Lucky Number Slevin. Would you have recognized James McAvoy from his role as the fawn in Narnia? I think not. He manages to make the transformation from wormy loser to steamy assassin in Wanted without much trouble. I always have a tendency to respect an actor more if he's shown a bit of range. Even the side characters, like The Butcher (Dato Khabensky) and The Repairman (Marc Warren) are fun to watch. My favorite of them was probably The Exterminator, played by Konstantin Khabensky. Khabensky has worked with Russian director Bekmambetov before as his supernatural anti-hero in Night Watch and Day Watch. As a fan of those films, it was a treat to see the actor have a small part in Wanted.

Bekmambetov was a good choice to helm this film. There's something fresh in his work that may lie in his use of light and colors. He's also got skills when it comes to using the slo-mo effect without over saturating. I'm sometimes reluctant to see successful directors in other countries make a movie in the U.S. Rarely do the producers here allow them to really be themselves without white-washing the film for our domestic audiences. However, Wanted, though not as dark and moody as Night Watch, still has plenty of the director's flavor intact.

Wanted was not a disappointment. Some of what you may have seen in the trailers does not actually show up in the final cut of this film, but that doesn't make it less of a cool flick. There aren't any lulls long enough in this movie to detract from the pulsating action. The dialog could have used a bit of a pick-me-up, but that's hardly more than a minor note in an otherwise fun time. I'd check out Wanted while it's still in theaters, as it's liable to lose some of its impact on a small screen.

Overall Rating: 3 1/2 stars
Hottie Rating: 4 stars

Alternate Recommendation: La Femme Nikita
Official Site
IMDB Page
Movie Cynics review

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The Darjeeling LImited (2007)

2008-06-29T17:29:00.010-06:00

Directed by: Wes Anderson
Format: DVD
DVD Features: trailer, featurette, other trailers
Starring: Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, Angelica Huston
Trailer

India. It's a country I've never been to, but have long wanted to visit. When I was quite young, I saw The Little Princess, starring Shirley Temple. Even though the movie takes place in Africa, it occurs during the British occupation of that country and Sara Crewe (Temple) has an Indian servant (The British occupied that country as well). Although her young servant has a small role in the film, that is when my interest in the far away land was first roused. Since then, I've read a few wonderful novels (The God of Small Things by Anrundhati Roy and The Moor's Last Sigh by Salmon Rushdie) that have kept the mistuque of India alive in my imagination. In Wes Anderson's latest film, The Darjeeling Limited, the beauty of this country is once again brought to life.

Three brothers, Francis, Peter and Jack Whitman have not spoken in a year. The eldest, Francis, has decided that the three of them need to take a spiritual journey; to reconnect and to visit their estranged mother. They rondevous aboard a train in India, The Darjeeling Limited, and travel across the country together. Along the way, Francis' carefully laid plans go awry, their mother sends word that they're unwelcome and a poisonous snake gets them kicked off the train. Aside from their immediate troubles, each man has unresolved issues of their own.

The visual appeal of this film lies primarily in the set design. The train itself is a work of art and filming aboard a moving locomotive presents challenges of its own. Like most of Wes Anderson's other works, The Darjeeling Limited feels almost like a play insofar as the set is concerned. Unlike The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, there are no fantastic creatures aboard.

Although I was terribly disappointed in Jason Schwartzman as Louis XVI (Marie Anoinette), he has been in most, if not all, of the Wes Anderson movies. So, it's not surprising to find him in the cast of this one. He seems well suited to the director's needs and performs wonderfully in The Darjeeling Limited. He's grown up quite a bit from Rushmore. A new addition to Anderson's usual crew is Adrien Brody. Let's forget for a moment that I completely adore the actor on every level. He's so exciting just to look at! As an addition to the cast, he fits in very smoothly and blends in perfectly amongst Anderson's other creations. I hope to see him again in the director's next project. Owen Wilson, although another regular in Anderson's films, doesn't seem to mesh as well as the other two. He's a bit too overpowering as Francis. Even though the character is a strong one, Wilson is slightly over the top in his performance. Another pair of regulars, Bill Murray and Angelica Huston, appear in The Darjeeling Limited, but not in leading roles. I think that it was a wise descision on the casting director's part, as it avoids making each film too similar while still appeasing the fans.

As if it wasn't apparent by my peppering of his name throughout this review, I am a fan of Wes Anderson's films. I love the whimsical nature of them and their non-linear plots. It's nice not to be tied down to an agenda as so many other movies seem to be. But although The Darjeeling Limited isn't a predictable story, the primary sentiment still comes through. The plot meanders from Francis' well-intended choreography, but the three brothers accomplish their goal in the end. The movie is serious, without being depressing and funny without being rediculous. The exotic setting, the quirky characters and the subtle oddities make The Darjeeling Limited another fantastic addition to the director's filmography. As a side note, I don't usually get excited about the featurettes included on many DVDs. However, I do recommend viewing the extra feature on this one. There are elements of the set design that shouldn't go unappreciated, that one might never notice without watching the behind the scenes footage.

Now, I think I'll go watch it again, before I have to return it!

Overall rating: 5 stars
Hottie rating: 5 stars (4 for Brodie, 1 for Schwartzman)

Alternate Recommendation: The Royal Tenenbaums
Official Site
IMDB Site
Salon.com review (minute spoilers)

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The Strangers (2008)

2008-06-23T21:10:00.006-06:00

Directed by: Bryan Bertino
Format: Theater
Starring: Scott Speedman, Liv Tyler, Gemma Ward, Kip Weeks, Laura Margolis

There are different brands of terror. One horror movie might thrill you because the events are realistic. Another may be full of ghosts and the supernatural, making you wonder what's out there in the shadows. Do you sleep with the lights on? Are you looking over your shoulder? Sometimes horror films aren't even terribly frightening, aside from the occasional start or gallons of gore. So, why is it that people seek out the frightening side of film? Despite my experiences with real-life terror, I'm still a horror film junkie. Why? For me, it's akin to the thrill of riding a roller coaster or the desire to sky-dive. I seek that rush of adrenaline with every theater ticket. But, I sit there, heart pumping, knowing that I'm not in any actual peril. Oh, and don't forget gore...lots and lots of gore....

In The Strangers, James Hoyt (Speedman) and Kristen McKay (Tayler) are staying the night at the Hoyt's family cabin. It's less than a relaxing getaway for the young couple, however, as instead of celebrating their engagement, they're awkwardly trying to reconcile after Hoyt's proposal falls flat. In the middle of their reconciliation, there's a strange knock at the door. A young woman stands outside, asking for someone. They send her away, telling her she's got the wrong address. After James leaves to buy a pack of smokes, Kristen is alone in the house and hears the knock again. Even though she's clever enough not to open the door, someone sneaks in the house while her back is turned. James returns and finds an hysterical Kristen, claiming that there's an intruder and people lurking outside. At first he tries to tell her she's imagining things, but when he finds his car demolished, he realizes they're in real trouble.

There isn't anything hokey or bizarre about The Strangers. Having been "inspired by true events", the plot is a realistic one. Special effects extend only to blood and injury, not amazing CGI ghouls and ghosts. At the beginning of the movie, two missionary boys happen upon the scene of the crime and it's obvious that something terrible has happened. So, no surprises there. Despite being forewarned of the ending though, you can't help but wonder if the couple makes it out alive. In theory, you should be in for a gripping story and all the more so because of its roots in reality.

Liv Tayler is not someone I would have expected to see in this film. However, she pulls off the role quite nicely. She remains terrified, but still competent. Tayler is very convincing. Speedman is passable as the rejected propositioner and is believeable as a frightened, but protective boyfriend. The other actors do a good job holding up their end of the script, but don't have very involved roles. It's Tayler and Speedman carrying the show.

I have to say that, although the trailer gave me chills, The Strangers was lacking something special. I'd like to be able to pinpoint that absent aspect, but I can't quite seem to put my finger on it. The movie had the makings of a truly terrifying 90 minutes, but didn't pull it off. There are a few brief scares, but they fall into the relm of the predicatable. When Hoyt's friend arrives on the scene, it's all to easy to guess what's going to happen. An eerieness is missing. There was more tension in the plot before the indruders even made an appearance and all of the truly creepy scenes are already included in the advertisements. Even the blood looks fake.

Another thing I noticed in The Strangers, were inconsistencies. Honestly speaking, I don't normally pick up on the little mistakes in movies until after a second or third viewing. But in this movie, I did. Firstly, there's the scene with Liv in the kitchen. She's smoking a cigarette and senses danger. So, she turns around and - viola! - disappearing cigarette. No smoke, no ashes, nothing. Secondly, at one point, a character is bound at the wrists (you'll see this in the trailer). In a following scene, no cuts or marks appear where they should be. How many people viewed this film prior to release and didn't catch those things?

So, to sum up, I was very disappointed by my experience with The Strangers. Looking back, I would have chosen any of the other options in theaters right now. Kung-Fu Panda would have been more worth my time. Unless you're exceedingly curious (even after my review), I don't recommend the rental either. Sometimes it's true what they say - your imagination is scarier than the real thing.

Overall Rating: 2 stars
Hottie Rating: 1 star (That's all you get, Speedman)

Alternate Recommendation: Straw Dogs
Official Site
IMDB Page
Appreciating Great Trash review

***Note: If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

The Cat Returns (2002)

2008-06-18T15:02:00.007-06:00

a.k.a. Neko No Ongaeshi (Japanese)

Directed by: Hiroyuki Morita
Format: DVD
DVD Features:
Starring (voices): Chizuru Ikewaki, Yoshihiko Hakamada, Tetsu Watanabe, Takayuki Yamada
Trailer

For several years during my adolescence, I was fully devoted to Anime (ah-nee-meh), or Japanese Animation. My obsession started with Otomo's Akira and, back then, there wasn't any other way to view it aside from third-generation VHS copies, in the original language and sans subtitles. So, for a while, I'd sit in a church basement with my fellow Otaku and make fourth-generation copies. Ah...nostalgia. These days, we have things like DVDs and the internet. So, coming from the perspective of having been into the genre during that period of my life, watching anime seems a bit juvenile to me now. From time to time though, I like to revisit the land of Shojo and Hentai (okay, maybe not-so-much the Hentai) and recall just how magical it can be.

The Cat Returns is about an average teenaged girl named Haru (Ikewaki). One day, on her way home from school, she saves a cat from being flattened in the street. She's shocked when the feline stands up on his hind legs, brushes himself off and speaks a thank you to her. That night, she witnesses a bizarre procession of cats who stop in front of her door to announce that the fortunate creature she saved earlier that day is the prince of the cat kingdom! The following morning, Haru is treated to an overflow of gifts that would be perfect for any housecat, but a little disturbing for a young girl; catnip, boxes of mice, and the prince's hand in marriage! Not excited about the prospect of marrying outside her species, she seeks help from Baron (Hakamada) and Muta (Watanabe) who come to her rescue.

The characters in The Cat Returns are certainly adorable, if you're a cat person. Baron is a debonair toy cat who's come to life. He has a large, living raven statue for a friend and a rather scrappy, fat companion cat named Muta. The two of them are consistently trading insults! Yuki is a pretty little maid cat who also lends a paw to Haru's cause. When they're in their element, all of the kitties trot around on their hind legs, wearing clothes. Some of my favorite side characters are the king's bodyguards - tuxedo-colored cats who kick the neighborhood strays out of the way. Not all of the cats in this story are the same though, and I couldn't figure out why. It appears that some cats are gifted with human speech and mannerisms, while others are just normal cats. I couldn't really sympathize with Haru at all though. It seems like a delightful gift to be able to live as a cat and she's hardly appreciative of the Cat Kingdom's efforts to find suitable presents for her.

This film is a directorial debut for Hiroyuki Morita, though he's worked as animator on familiar titles like Gunsmith Cats and Tenchi Muyo. The movie reminded me a great deal of Hayao Miyazaki's work (My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke), but without his focus on environmental issues and sweeping drama. The Cat Returns does have a nice moral though, which is "believe in yourself". The animation is smooth and not heavily reliant on CGI. The character design is not overly "bug-eyed" or astoundingly odd.

Although by no means is all Anime suitable for children, The Cat Returns is an all-ages adventure. The tale moves along fairly quickly and, except for a few small quirks, is easy to follow. There are no giant robots or magical transformations. So, be aware, if your taste in film runs toward mechs or sailor-girls. If you've enjoyed films like the Miyazaki works mentioned above, you won't be disappointed with this one.

*A note on language: Regardless of what language a movie happens to be filmed in, I have made it a rule to be appreciative of the original actors. As such, whenever possible, I view the subtitled version. I'm also a bit leery of the translations in some instances and it's nice to have the authentic soundtrack available. All movies reviewed on this site were viewed with their original audio track.*

Overall Rating: 3 stars
Hottie Rating: 0 stars

Alternate Recommendation: My Neighbor Totoro (a.k.a. Tonari No Totoro)
Official Site (Disney)
IMDB Page
FilmAsia review

***Note: If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

The Notorious Bettie Page (2005)

2008-06-18T15:00:00.008-06:00

Directed by: Mary Harron
Format: DVD
DVD Features:
Starring: Gretchen Mol, Lili Taylor, Chris Bauer, Jared Harris

I’m always surprised when I meet someone who doesn’t know who Bettie Page was. In my mind, it’s like not knowing who Marilyn Monroe or Jim Morrison were. Bettie was a pin-up girl and fetish model during the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. She was never photographed having intercourse or in any scenes with men, so by today’s standards, she might not qualify as a “porn star”. During that era, full-frontal nudity could get a cameraman in trouble. It’s interesting to see how society has changed with regards to the human form. Bettie’s also famous for her iconic cropped bangs and black hairstyle. Featured these days on everything from notebook covers to air fresheners, even tattoos, Bettie’s image is everywhere. Her resurgence in popularity is likely one reason that Mary Harron decided to make her Notorious film.

The Notorious Bettie Page is a look at the model’s life during her career in pin-up. In this film, we’re first introduced to Bettie (Mol) as she’s waiting to be called to testify at the Kefauver Hearings (hearings in the late 50’s to determine the effects of certain materials on Juvenile Delinquency). Following that, a few short scenes allow a glimpse into Bettie’s childhood and teen years. Around the time she begins college, the picture slows down again to summarize her marriage and subsequent divorce from Billy Neal (Norman Reedus). Then, while strolling down the beach in Coney Island, she meets Jerry Tibbs (Kevin Carroll), who asks to take her photograph. From that point forward, her career takes off. In-between scenes of her posing, the movie shares her struggles with acting and with relationships. When the story circles around to the trial again, it’s near the end of Bettie’s career and the beginning of her devotion to Christianity.

Most of Harron’s movie is shot in black and white. It’s an effective technique for lending The Notorious Bettie Page the overall feeling of an era gone by. The scenes in which the director chose to use color still convey the sensation of an old postcard or a Technicolor film. All of Page’s most famous shots are re-created, including her jungle poses with the jaguars (who almost upstage her) and the Playboy Christmas card.

Mol is a fairly good doppelganger for the real model, which is an essential piece of pulling off a convincing biography. She even nails the innocence and carefree attitude that the real woman was said to have. I kept getting the feeling she was being taken advantage of and yet, she doesn’t come off as being stupid. Aside from Mol, most of the acting was mediocre. I once thought that Lily Taylor was a pretty solid actress. I’ll never forget her in The Addiction. But, after seeing her fake her way through this movie and The Haunting, I’m not so sure. She reminds me of a teenager lying to her parents – not very convincing. By contrast, the man who plays Irving Klaw (Chris Bauer), her brother in the movie, is very believable. Only two more characters, Bunny Yeager (Sarah Paulson) and John Willie (Jared Harris) were even remotely entertaining.

As is probably a danger when recreating someone’s life onscreen, this biography of Bettie Page was rather dry. As a fan, I had been curiously awaiting the film’s release. I was hoping that the icon’s memory would be honored and that the filmmakers would not take too much liberty with her tale. In that regard, I wasn’t disappointed but The Notorious Bettie Page ends up being something of a snore. It works well as a study of the shifts in society since that era, which is interesting, but it’s almost like reading a text book. If you’re curious about the woman, the pin-up style or just like to see nude models, this film might be a good bet. Anyone looking for some excitement will be sorely disappointed.

Overall Rating: 2 ½
Hottie Rating: 3

Alternate Recommendation: I Shot Andy Warhol
Official Site
IMDB Page
Creative Loafing Review

***Note: If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

2008-06-08T17:03:00.009-06:00

Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Format: Theater
Starring: Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett, John Hurt, Karen Allen
Trailer

Adding a new chapter to a series of old favorites is always a risk. The first three Indiana Jones films were released in the 1980s, with the most recent of the three at 1989. So, naturally the actors have gotten much older. For action heros, it gets even riskier. So I wondered, "Can Steven Spielberg pull it off?" I was truly disappointed with George Lucas' prequels to Star Wars and I went into the latest Indy movie with a little hesitation.

The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull opens with Indy and his "friend" Mac (Ray Winstone) in the clutches of the Soviets. They've kidnapped the pair and forced them into a U.S. military base to lead them to a very specific artifact. It looks suspiciously like the hanger where we last saw The Ark radiating away inside a crate. Once the Soviet colonel, Dr. Irina Spalko (Blanchett), gets what she's after, Indy manages to slip through her grasp - in true Jones fashion. He returns to his students at the university, only to discover that he's been accused of fraternizing with the enemy (we are in the midst of the Red Scare, after all). He decides to seek a teaching job overseas when he runs into Mutt Williams (LaBeouf), the son of a respected contemporary. It seems that both of Mutt's parents have been kidnapped by Spalko while in search of a mysterious Crystal Skull.

The settings in the film range from tropical rainforest to desert landscapes to ancient Mayan ruins. But, the beautiful scenery will only catch your eyes if you manage to pull them off of the action. This fourth movie in the series is every bit as packed with action as the first adventure. Every scene, save maybe LaBeouf's Tarzan routine, is nicely shot and satisfyingly realistic. The action is easy to follow and doesn't suffer the usual shoddy camera work often bungled in American action films. There's even a pretty A-Bomb explosion to dazzle the audience.

I honestly didn't think that Harrison Ford would be able to pull off another Indiana Jones movie. He is 66 years old, after all. But with the help of new blood, he manages to kick some serious Soviet butt. He was, admittedly, showing a little of his age, which wasn't lost in the plot. However, I don't think that fans will be disappointed with his performance. I've had a serious crush on Shia LaBeouf since Constantine and he pulled off the leap to motorcycle-loving, 1950's greaser/action hero without much difficulty. There is still some wide-eyed innocence to him reminicent of his role in Constantine. So I still think the actor has room to grow. The character I was most disappointed with in this film was Cate Blanchett as the sword-weilding Soviet villian. I couldn't really get into her performance. Normally, I think Blanchett is a very talented actress. This time though, she wasn't very convincing at all.

The plot of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull isn't much of a departure from the previous Indiana Jones chapters. The action and scenario are very much the same, as are the enemies. I did find it slightly odd that it had a twist of the supernatural. Previews for the movie don't give away just what the skull is and where it came from. But, I won't give that away either. The first scene of the movie will give you a very, very strong hint though. I was a little disappointed that there didn't seem to be much problem solving aspects to the plot this time. There aren't really any mind tingling clues or puzzles that have to be worked out. In fact, there is a lack of boobie traps as well, which were something I'd always enjoyed in Indy films before.

If you've been a fan of the Indiana Jones series, I encourage you to see the new one. Even if you haven't seen the others, all you'll miss in this latest installment are a few inside jokes. On the scale of the past films, I'd say it ranks somewhere between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. It's definetly better than Temple of Doom was.

Overall rating: 4 stars
Hottie rating: 4 stars (I love you Shia!)

Alternate Recommendation: National Treasure
Official Site
IMDB Page
FilmBlather.com review *SPOILERS!*

***Note: If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

I'm a Domain-atrix!!

2008-06-06T12:54:00.002-06:00

I've got an exciting announcement! Gummi Popcorn now has it's own domain name! What does this mean for you? Well, instead of remembering that Gummi Popcorn started out as Neko Movies, and typing that whole URL into your browser, you can just remember "GummiPopcorn.com"!! So, from now on, you can set your links up to point to www.gummipopcorn.com. Or-you can still use the longer blogspot URL. Your choice!

Hooray!

2008-05-29T14:45:00.002-06:00

We've recently gotten 2 more nominations! Way to go!

I'm a little under the weather lately, but more reviews are to be coming shortly - after all, what else is there to do when you're sick but lay around and watch movies? There are also several films I've seen trailers for that I'm excited to see, namely Ironman, The Hulk (love Ed Norton!) and The Strangers (looks spooky!). There's one more, but it's not floating to the surface at the moment.

So, let's fill up the rest of those categories, people!

The Gummi Awards Continues...

2008-05-18T15:41:00.003-06:00

To date, we've recieved a good response to The Gummi Awards. But, we still need your help! There are a few categories that remain untouched. Don't be intimidated! Any genre and any era may be nominated. So, get your thinking caps on, your DVD player warmed up, and your nominations posted!! You can even nominate more that one film for any category. Remeber, there will be prizes!

Wondering how to post your nominees? Just scroll to the bottom of the post for the category you want and click on the comments link. Send me your nomination and email address. Your addy won't be posted, I just keep that in order to contact you if you win! For the complete rules, click on "The Lowdown" to the right.

Notorious (1946)

2008-05-18T15:22:00.009-06:00

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Format: DVD
DVD features: trailers, radio adaptation, movie stills, production anecdotes, news reel, deleted scenes and alternate ending script excerpts (on Criterion DVD)
Starring: Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains, Cary Grant, Leopoldine Konstantin

Generally, I find myself watching recent movies, but from time to time, I like to revisit the classics; bone up, as it were, on my film education. I feel that, to understand cinema, it’s important to appreciate some of the early masters of the art. Many of the films made today pull from more classic film, as well as directly reference or even remake it. If watching movies in black and white or reading subtitles isn’t your bag, you’re seriously missing out on some of the greatest celluloid scenes. In summary, it’s important to be open to a wide variety of on-screen entertainment.

One of the most recognized names in classic Hollywood is Alfred Hitchcock. It’s almost impossible to go wrong with anything that has his name listed after “directed by”. Although Notorious isn’t one of his horror masterpieces, like Psycho, it certainly fits into the “suspense” category. Ingrid Bergman stars as Alicia Huberman, the daughter of a Nazi sympathizer who's just been sentenced to prison for treason. At a party after the trial, she meets T.R. Devlin (Cary Grant) and the two embark on a drunken drive. When Alicia is pulled over, the policeman waives her ticket when he sees Devlin‘s credentials. Seeing as how Alicia despises cops, this doesn’t go over well with her at all. Devlin reveals that he is an agent, working for the federal government and his superiors would like to send her on assignment to Brazil. After some argument, she reluctantly agrees to the plan. But, it becomes a problem when the German conspirator she’s sent to seduce decides to marry her. She’s already fallen madly in love with Devlin. Notorious is a web of love affairs, shady dealings and sinister plots. Will Alicia make it out of her marriage alive? Will Devlin finally profess his love for her? Will the Germans get what’s coming to them? And what’s that strange dirt in the wine cellar?

It’s true that Hitchcock certainly knows how to tell a story. There are genuine moments of thrilling danger, although not of the gun fight variety, that keep you on the edge of your seat. But, the primary focus in Notorious seems to be the love affair between Alicia and Devlin. It’s not the syrupy type of love found in your average “chick flick”, but a sort of desperate desire that threatens to unravel the rest of the plot. The apparent detachment of the US government officials and willingness to throw Ms. Huberman to the wolves only exacerbates the affair.

Although the film is set in post WWII times, the only bit of history one needs to know is that the Nazis were the enemy and that, after the war, America was cleaning house. In fact, it’s partly the era in which the film takes place that lends it a great deal of charm. Rich contrasts, fabulous wardrobes, sprawling mansions, cocktail parties and smoking in the boardroom are all elegant throwbacks not to be under appreciated. There are also a few elements of the past that are less than savory in this picture. For instance, the fur fashion and substandard treatment of women are things we might like to forget.

After Casablanca, I can’t seem to see Ingrid Bergman in any other role. She’s a superb actress and beautiful, of course, but I always expect to see her in the arms of Humphrey Bogart. In Notorious, she’s a reckless alcoholic who has had a string of lovers. This is why the feds feel no sympathy for her situation. This is also the type of woman I like to see in movies. She’s a very strong woman, despite her faults, and isn’t afraid to walk into a nest of enemies. She also defies the simpering damsel in distress stereotype so often found in cinema. Cary Grant is very much the typical leading man. He’s suave and he can drink a litre of whisky without missing a step. Although expertly played, Devlin is very much a dry meal. It’s the villains in these movies who seem to have the most character. Claude Rains plays the target of the missions efforts and he’s much more interesting to watch. His mother is the most evil of all the Germans in the film. She’s a suspicious and sinister factor in the plot and the truest danger to Alicia. Maybe Hitchcock had issues with mommy?

Notorious is honest to goodness quality cinema. No over-endowed women, no burly action stars, no CGI and plot and dialogue are superb. So, after you’ve seen Psycho, Vertigo and Rear Window, pick up Notorious and pop some popcorn.

Alternate Recommendation: Wait Until Dark
Official Site (none found)
IMDB Page
The Duck Mafia's review

***Note: If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

Keep 'Em Coming!

2008-04-23T08:38:00.002-06:00

I want to take a moment to thank everyone who's submitted their nominations for The Gummi Awards so far. We have some good candidates! (I especially like having to review the abs category!) Let's see if we can get at least two nominations for each one! I don't see any nominations for Most Abrupt and/or Confusing Ending or Most Crazy-Cool Carpet Design. I know you know that I know that you know you can come up with something! Remember, any movie can be nominated, no matter what year or genre. So, thanks again and keep the nominations rolling in!!

Van Helsing (2004)

2008-04-22T14:48:00.009-06:00

Directed by: Stephen Sommers
Format: DVD
DVD Features: Explore Dracula’s Castle, bloopers, making of features, “You Are In The Movie”, legend of Van Helsing, commentaries, trailers, DVD rom, Xbox game
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale, David Wenham, Richard Roxburgh

(**nominated for The Gummi Awards: Best Geek Sidekick**)

Dracula, ever since his creation by Bram Stoker in 1897, has been considered the lord of vampires. If Stoker had gotten royalties for every time his Count has been depicted in film alone (not to mention comics, television and cereal boxes), he’d have been very wealthy indeed. Dracula is the oldest, most feared and most powerful in vampire lore. However, just as Holmes had his Moriarty and Kahn had his Captain Kirk, Dracula has his arch nemesis in Van Helsing. Almost all of the films based upon Stoker’s novel feature Van Helsing in one regard or another. Sommers chooses to turn the ancient protagonist into an action hero, with just about as many weapons as Batman.

In the beginning of this movie, it appears that maybe the wrong disc is playing. A hunchbacked lab assistant throws a giant switch and amidst flying sparks and arching electricity, a mad scientist cries, “It’s aliiiiiiive!!” Um...Dr. Frankenstein? But, just as your hand reaches for the remote control, Dracula appears in the lab. It seems that The Count has ordered this monster’s creation and has come to collect him. But, his plans are thwarted by a white-haired undertaker and a torch wielding mob. Frankenstein and his monster disappear in a blazing windmill inferno.

One year later, we find Gabriel Van Helsing (the first name is another deviation from the novel) in hot pursuit of the beast known as Mr. Hyde. After an entertaining battle, chock full of spinning blades and pretty good CGI, Van Helsing vanquishes the villain and heads back to headquarters. It appears that our hero is a hit man, hired by The Vatican to rid the world of ghouls and ancient evils. He is in search of a past he can’t remember and the order believes that his next assignment might lead him to some answers. He and his sidekick, a friar named Carl, are sent to Transylvania to rescue the last remaining members of the Valerious family, who all look as though they’ve leapt from the cover of a trashy romance novel. Naturally, he falls for the only lady in town that’s not a vampire, Anna Valerious, and the two of them endeavor to find out what Dracula could possibly want with a young werewolf and the Frankenstein monster.

There are so many problems with the movie Van Helsing, that I hardly know where to begin. Should I start with the exceptionally poor dialogue, delivered through thin and inconsistent accents? Should I complain about the clumsy sentimentality, inserted into the film with awkward and pathetic timing? What about the extraordinarily tired male/female power struggle, (i.e. lame flirting) between Van Helsing and Anna? Someone forgot to tell Sommers that bats don’t lay eggs and that absinthe isn’t customarily drunk straight from the bottle. But, why should I dwell on those minor faults when I could easily point out that the half-assed “puzzle” that Carl takes so long to solve is about as challenging as going fishing with dynamite? I could wonder for a bit about Dracula’s weird, gas masked minions or even ponder why, when Carl and Van Helsing bust into a church, Carl is so concerned about breaking commandments when he’s already used the line, “I’m just a friar” to excuse himself from swearing and getting laid. Oh, and don’t forget that Dracula does more prancing about than his three “brides” who are hardly more than a trio of screeching boob displays. Why doesn’t Van Helsing, legendary vampire hunter, know fact one about vampires and how did he suddenly become the archangel Gabriel?????????

Whew. Now that I’ve unloaded those remarks like so many poorly aimed arrows from Van Helsing’s semi-automatic crossbow (the guy couldn’t hit the broad side of Transylvanian castle), let’s see if there’s anything good to be gleaned from the experience. If the movie Van Helsing has any saving graces, it’s the spectacular CGI and efforts of a few actors.

Hugh Jackman, while lovely to watch, is basically just Wolverine all over again (were-Wolverine?) and doesn’t make much of a leap in range here. Kate Beckinsale, who plays Anna, has just as much eye candy to offer as Jackman does, but little else. Would it be too much to ask for a heroine who could care less about the leading man and wears less than a D cup? I could see Jackman and Beckinsale performing much better if they actually had good material to work with. The best actor by far in this film is Shuler Hensley, who plays Frankenstein’s monster and even he seems to struggle against the horrific script.

The movie’s best feature - hands down – is its beautiful CGI. The Jekyll/Hyde battle is grossly entertaining and nicely choreographed. All of the transformation scenes in the film, whether they were Dracula, his brides’ or the werewolves’, were seamless. It’s too bad that it takes much more than badass visuals to make a movie. Had there been any good dialogue, consistency, or thought put into the mix, Van Helsing would have been bearable to watch more than once.

Overall Rating: 2
Hottie Rating: 4 (Um...shirtless male bondage? Hello!)

Alternate recommendation: Underworld
Official site
IMDB Page
Slate Review

***Note: If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

1. Most Overrated Leading Actor

2008-04-17T11:42:00.008-06:00

The first category in The Gummi Awards is for the Most Overrated Leading Actor. Do you think Tom Cruise is a schmuck? Is Brad Pitt the pits? Want to give Matt Damon an ultimatum? Well, now's your chance to let it be known! Nominate a "leading man" who everyone seems ga-ga over and you don't get why.

The Nominees Are:

Russell Crowe - "especially in Gladiator. Couldn't stand him. Boring, not sexy, uninspiring line delivery. Couldn't figure out why everyone was all ga-ga over him."

George Clooney - "Yep, he's hot and yep, he can act. Except for his acting seems to kind of embody one persona, so he's kind of hard to stretch. But, maybe he does better in some of his newer movies, I don't know. All I know is that I'm not that impressed."

Tom Cruise - "who I consider the Britney Spears of the silver screen. But for the benefit of a good storyline, special effects, or talented costars, would his acting even be noticed?"

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

2. Most Nauseating Vomit Scene

2008-04-16T15:43:00.008-06:00

The second category in The Gummi Awards is for the Most Nauseating Vomit Scene in a movie. Sure, there are loads of movies in which people blow chunks! Nominate the scene that made you want to follow suit!

The Nominees Are:

Beerfest - Kevin Heffernan (Landfill)

The Exorcist - The green, projectile vomiting (watch a clip)

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

3. Best Geek Sidekick

2008-04-16T15:31:00.010-06:00

(Thanks to my Dad for suggesting this one)

The third category for The Gummi Awards is for the Best Geek Sidekick. This character can be male or female, generally wears glasses (but not necessarily), and is incredibly well read or technologically gifted in some way. This person supports the main character by interjecting invaluable snippets of info at just the right moment or MacGyvering the perfect surveillance device. Nominate the guy who can build robots or hack into the Pentagon, but not the guy who can play Halo for hours on end.

The Nominees Are:

Van Helsing (2004)- "Terrible movie, but David Wenham's Carl steals the show!"

True Lies - Tom Arnold "Not only does he serve a healthy dose of 90's era one-liners, but he bails out Arnold without cock-blocking him too much."

"Justin Bartha as Riley Poole in the National Treasure movies. He's a true geek, but he'll get you into anything and anywhere."

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

4. Dumbest Blonde

2008-04-16T15:09:00.011-06:00

(another suggestion from Dad)

The fourth category for The Gummi Awards is for the Dumbest Blonde in a film. Everybody loves blonde jokes, right? In this case, the character, rather than the actress/actor should be the nominee. Otherwise, Paris Hilton would win hands down. Your nominee must also appear in the movie for more than 5 minutes, i.e. a lead role or supporting role.

The Nominees Are:

Best In Show - Sherri Ann Ward Cabot played by Jennifer Coolidge

Legally Blonde

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

5. Best Use of Dialogue In A Single Scene

2008-04-16T13:42:00.018-06:00

The fifth category in The Gummi Awards is for the Best Use of Dialogue In A Single Scene of a film. The dialogue can be a snappy one-liner, or a well-worded conversation between a couple. The catch is that the dialogue must be confined to one particular scene in a film. Some movies have great lines all the way through. The trick is to narrow it down to the prime portion. So, send in your nomination with the name of the movie and either the exact lines spoken or the particular scene in which the dialogue takes place.

The Nominees Are:

Running Scared - 1986 - "The scene where Billy Crystal is duping someone over the phone." (watch a clip)

The Princess Bride - "The scene where the Man in Black challenges Vizinni to a duel of sorts. Which cup has the poison? You know, that I know, that you know, that I am a genius, so clearly it's not in your cup?" (watch a clip)

Goodwill Hunting - "The scene where Matt Damon trumps a plagiarizing grad student by outwitting, out-sourcing, and out-matching him. It was an intellectual showdown worthy of MENSA itself." (watch a clip)

V For Vendetta: Nominated for just about every time V speaks in the film. Namely the scene where he takes over London's airwaves.

The Libertine: Nominated for Johnny Depp's brilliant and chilling opening monologue, ending with "I do not want you to like me" as he fades back into the shadows.

Pirates of the Caribbean: "Why is the rum always gone?"

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

6. Best Gratuitous Display of Abdominal Muscles

2008-04-16T13:35:00.017-06:00

(Thanks goes to Carrie for the suggestion)

The sixth category in The Gummi Awards is for movie which has the overall Best Gratuitous Display of Abdominal Muscles. Get it - sixth category...six pack!? The abs can belong to a man or a woman or a combination of men and women. Nominate the film that you think has the juiciest and most frequent display of rippling abdominals. This is a category I am most particularly going to enjoy screening (evil chuckle).

The Nominees Are:

Two for the Money

300

Top Gun

Thelma & Louise

Into the Blue

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

7. Most Awkward Moment

2008-04-16T13:19:00.007-06:00

The seventh category in The Gummi Awards is for the Most Awkward Moment in a movie. Remember that time when you came running upstairs to tell mom about your high marks in creative writing class and burst in on her performing oral sex on Uncle Fred? That's the kind of awkward I mean. Yes, nominate a scene from a movie that made you squirm a little in your seat.

The Nominees Are:

A History of Violence - "Viggo's character and his wife (in cheerleader outfit) going 69...forever. Perhaps it would have been less awkward in the comfort of my own home; but I was watching at the theatre, sitting next to an elderly couple. Oh my."

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - "Don't you hate it when you're all drunk and trying to pick up the hot chick, then you wake up with her ugly best friend laying next to you, but you can't remember what happened so you go to the hot chick's house and she slams the door on you thus amputating your finger, then later on a dog eats said amputated finger? Totally awkward."

Slums of Beverly Hills - "The scene where Vivian's father walks in on her dancing seductively with a vibrator. She is so embarrassed, she can't get it to turn off. Meanwhile, Rita is laughing hysterically. A great movie with Natasha Lyonne, Alan Arkin, Marisa Tomei, and David Krumholtz."

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

8. Best Scene Involving Food

2008-04-16T11:53:00.013-06:00

The eighth category in The Gummi Awards is for the Best Scene Involving Food in a movie. The nominations for this category may include food-fight scenes, "naughty play" scenes and cooking scenes, as examples. The only exceptions are scenes in which human flesh is the main course. While The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover and Eating Raul are two of my favorite films, it would have been all too easy to come up with nominations and all too difficult to choose between them. So, I have decided to rule them out for this category. Instead nominate your favorite scenes, like a great dinner conversation or an arousing chocolate tasting.

The Nominees Are:

Pan's Labyrinth - "The girl must complete a task, and has been warned that she will be tempted to eat, but that she should eat nothing from the table. It turns out that the table is set with a most sumptious feast - and she is starving. She manages to pass up everything, to complete the task, but on the way out her eye is caught by some delicious looking grapes. She takes just one...terror ensues!" (watch a clip)

Hook - "When Peter Pan finally starts to remember being a kid and how to imagine." (watch a clip)

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

9. Most Offensive Example of Animal Testing/Cruelty

2008-04-16T11:27:00.013-06:00

The ninth category in The Gummi Awards is for the scene that provides the Most Offensive Example of Animal Testing/Cruelty in a film. Make no mistake - I do not condone animal abuse in any form, especially for entertainment. So, this category was not created to celebrate or glorify animal suffering in any way. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals often exhibits footage of slaughterhouse cruelty in an effort to raise awareness. Whether or not you are an advocate of animal rights, nominate a film that you thought showed a gross mistreatment of animal life in a realistic way. Your nomination must be a full-length feature and the animal featured may or may not have been actually harmed.

The Nominees Are:

Cannibal Holocaust (1980)- for the turtle soup

Atonement - for the scene on the beach where the British are executing horses Columbian drug-lord style...

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - "Poor little spider is just trying to feel up the cute blonde, and gets crushed in her bra. Sad, really, really, sad."

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

10. Most Crazy-Cool Carpet Design

2008-04-16T11:10:00.010-06:00

The tenth category in The Gummi Awards is for the movie which features the Most Crazy-Cool Carpet Design. Although it's not often realized, a tremendous amount of effort goes into choosing design elements in film. Like choosing a wardrobe for the actors, choosing carpeting, furniture and wallpaper lend the picture a sense of style. In the movie Lucky Number Slevin, for example, the wallpaper in Nick Fisher's apartment building is made up of crazy-cool geometrics and Amy Butler-type patterns. Nominate a film which features at least one eye-popping carpet design. It may or may not be important to the plot of the movie. (As an aside, The Dude's rug in The Big Lebowski does not count.)

The Nominees Are:

The Shining - "of course! The carpet is very '70s and geometric and trippy, especially with little Danny rolling around on it with his Big Wheels. It almost makes sense to see the dead twin girls standing on that same carpet later in the movie (not to mention a recently-bludgeoned and bleeding dead man on the busy and colorful hallway tile)." (watch a clip)

The Devils Advocate - "The floor in the penthouse. Not as cool as the sculpture behind the desk though... "

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - "If you are hiding under a bed, next to a pink-haired dead chick, it's always nice to be laying on a cool carpet. Come to think of it, the whole apartment was pretty cool looking - maybe I'm just assuming the carpet was, too."

Beetlejuice - "The carpet in the entryway, 3-D patterned to look like square shaped holes in the floor." (watch a clip)

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

11. Most Entertaining Title Sequence

2008-04-16T10:47:00.012-06:00

The eleventh category in The Gummi Awards is for the film with the Most Entertaining Title Sequence. Movies don't always have these, by the way. Cartoons, on the other hand, almost always do. For example, in any Teen Titans or Powerpuff Girls episode, there may be a period of action prior to the opening credits, but it's brief, before the theme music kicks in and the familiar characters are introduced. It's the same way with some movies, except that we only see the title sequence once. Remember that James Bond movie with the images projected onto naked women? That's what I'm talking about. Nominate the movie that you think provided the most stylized introduction.

The Nominees Are:

Farenheit 451 - "The opening credits are actually NOT printed, they are read by one of the characters. At the same time, the viewer is shown scores of TV antennas. This is important as it underscores the fact that printed word is illegal, in this particular reality, and that all pertinent information is "fed" to the public via television."

Se7en - "Not only does the opening sequence contain a montage of oddities and freakish, mutant-like images, it also serves as great foreplay into the mind of the psychotically brilliant, "John Doe." It also doesn't hurt that the background music is a b-side version of "Closer," by Nine Inch Nails." (watch a clip)

Drop Dead Fred

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

12. Most Creative Ending Credit Sequence

2008-04-16T10:26:00.006-06:00

The twelfth category in The Gummy Awards is for the movie with the Most Creative Ending Credit Sequence. After the finale of the majority of films out there, the names of the cast and crew scroll by in white letters on a simple black background. Sometimes the colors vary, but the ending credits are usually a prompt to sweep the popcorn off of your lap and leave the theater. There are a handful of creative minds who have used the credits, instead, as a creative medium and embellished it with clever animations or amusing outtakes. Nominate a movie for this category, which had a closing credit reel that you can actually enjoy watching. The amusement doesn't necessarily have to carry the full length of the credits either, but must be at least until the cast listing is over.

The Nominees Are:

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Monsters Inc.

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

13. Most Accurate Book-To-Movie Adaptation

2008-04-16T10:07:00.009-06:00

The thirteenth category in The Gummi Awards is for the film with the Most Accurate Book-To-Movie Adaptation. Many of us have caught ourselves complaining at one time or another that our favorite novel was mangled beyond recognition when Hollywood decided to dumb it down for the big screen (i.e. The Beach by Alex Garland). However, believe it or not, there are some directors/screenwriters who took tender care in preserving as much of the written story as possible. Some even included the author in the filmmaking process. So, nominate the film you think did the best job of conveying what you experienced in written form, on screen.

The Nominees Are:

Perfume

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

The Mist

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

14. Most Inappropriate Musical Sequence

2008-04-16T09:53:00.012-06:00

(Thanks to Richard for suggesting this catetory!)

The fourteenth category in The Gummi Awards is for a movie scene with the Most Inappropriate Musical Sequence. Have you ever been watching a movie when, quite unexpectedly, the characters break into song? Nominate a scene in which this frivolity seemed most absurdly timed or oddly focused.

The Nominees Are:

Almost Famous - "Elton John tour bus scene" (watch a clip)

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - "I don't care if it's a musical. The singing in Sweeney Todd (with Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter) was just plain inappropriate and ridiculous."

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

15. Most Abrupt and/or Confusing Ending

2008-04-16T09:37:00.009-06:00

(Thanks to Chadstract for suggesting this one, even though he doesn't realize it.)

The fifteenth and final category in The Gummi Awards is for the movie with the Most Abrupt and/or Confusing Ending. Nominate a movie with an ending that left you with more questions than it answered, or just one fat question mark. Movies that are part of a series, such as Harry Potter or The Golden Compass do not qualify for this category as they are not complete storylines. James Bond movies, on the other hand, do qualify as plot does not carry over from one film to another; each Bond movie is self-contained.

The Nominees Are:

Gone Baby Gone

American Gangster

Premonition

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order; counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

Introducing...The Gummi Awards!!

2008-04-13T22:14:00.011-06:00

I am proud to announce the inception of the very first Gummi Awards!! It seems that every movie reviewer or film website eventually devises their own version of the more famous awards programs, Gummi Popcorn being no exception. After all, we wouldn't be reviewers if we didn't like to offer our opinions (or force them on people)! However, I've tried to steer clear of the usual "Best Actor" and "Best Picture" categories and inject my special brand of weirdness into the mix. Yes, you've seen awards for things like "Best Kiss", but what about "Best Breakdance Routine" (that's not really a category, btw)?

Another aspect of the very special Gummi Awards that sets it apart, is timing. You'll notice that it isn't part of the pre-Academy hype. In fact, I'm not sure if I'll do this annually or just whenever the Hell I feel like it. This year, the Awards are roughly around the time of SXSW in Austin, TX. Having lived in that fantastic city for a while, the festival holds a special place in my heart. So, that could be one reason I chose this change of seasons to celebrate.

What's really going to cook your noodle though, is the way in which the winners will be decided! Instead of Gummi Popcorn presenting the nominations and our readers' votes deciding the winners, it's going to be a switcheroo! Are you psyched yet? Okay, here's how it all breaks down:

Within the next few days, all of the award categories will be posted here at Gummi Popcorn, along with their criterion. Your job, as the reader, is to nominate the movies, characters and scenes you think best fit the bill. You can nominate as many movies as you like, in as many categories as you like. As the nominations come in, I will post them under their category and watch them if I haven't seen them already. After I've had time to review all of the nominations, I'll make my descision and award the winner.

But, wait! There's a twist ~ Prizes!! And it's not Hollywood that wins this time, it's you! Once I've decided on a winner for each category, the person who first nominated that film, character or scene will receive a Gummi Popcorn bag full of Prizes!! What are the prizes you ask? Well, the Popcorn bag will include a very random assortment of items. You can expect to find things like Gummi Popcorn merch, something gummi, some type of microwave popcorn, and whatever else I find lying around HQ.

But, wait!! There's another twist!! The Popcorn bags come in two sizes: medium and large (we don't do small). The large bags bags will include a DVD or a theater gift certificate! How will I decide who gets a free movie? Well, most categories were invented specifially because I had a certain movie in mind. Of course, I'm not going to give away which films or which categories they are. The point is...if your nomination meets or beats my original idea, you get the bonus bag!!

Sounds good, right? Are you on board?? Wait...what's that?? "How do I submit my nomination," you ask? Well, I mentioned earlier that each award category will have its own post here at Gummi Popcorn. When you see a category that you'd like to submit a nomination for, simply post a comment at the bottom! It's that simple! You've got to include your name and email as well as a description of the scene and/or name of the movie/actor you wish to suggest as the winner. All comments left at Gummi Popcorn are sent to me via email for approval before they are posted on the site. I will simply record your nomination and info on a piece of paper here at HQ, and decline to post the comment. See how easy it all is! Your name and information will not be viewable by the public until winners are selected, at which point only your first name (or nickname) will be mentioned.

Gummi Popcorn will not, under any circumstances, sell, share or distribute any of your information at any point. Ever. Not even if they back a truckload of cash up to my house. So, the only thing I'll be using your info for is to notify you that you've won and find out where to send your Popcorn bag!!

Stay tuned for the Gummi Awards categories!

All Things Change In A Dynamic Environment

2008-04-10T17:08:00.002-06:00

Although the redesign of Gummi Popcorn has been delayed (until I can afford a decent laptop), I do have some exciting changes in the works. In the days and weeks to come, look for:

~ A new rating system!! (insert cheer of crowd)
~ The Gummi Awards!! (crowd does "the wave")
~ Contests and prizes!!! (ooooh....ahhhhh!)
~ A new "lists" category!! (teenaged girls pass out)

As always, I encourage you to leave comments, I crave your requests, and I adore lavishly generous compliments!!

A Soul Haunted By Painting (1994)

2008-04-10T16:14:00.007-06:00

a.k.a. Hua hun

Directed by: Shuqin Huang
Format: DVD / Mandarin with English subtitles
DVD Features: (coming soon)
Starring: Li Gong, Fang Cen, Shen Hairong, Shichang Da

I often boast that I have seen over 200 Hong Kong films. It’s true, of course, but I haven’t had nearly the same degree of experience with films from mainland China. Although both places are neighbors on the globe, their cinematic styles are worlds apart. While Hong Kong is home to action superstar Jackie Chan and comedic giant Stephen Chow, the films from China itself are generally more dramatic, artistic and subtle; what you might call “art house”. I have rarely ventured beyond those films which have gained popularity on Western shores; films like Raise the Red Lantern (Da hong deng long gao gao gua) and Fairwell My Concubine (Ba weng bie ji). So, in an effort to round out my Chinese film experience, I decided to rent A Soul Haunted By Painting.

This movie is based upon the life of Pan Yuliang, one of China’s early controversial and ground-breaking painters. As the film begins, a young Yulaing is living in a brothel, in training to become one of the hired girls. On her first night as an official prostitute, she is raped. Terrified, she runs away from the brothel and begs local official Xiao Lan, for whom she was originally to entertain, to help her. He takes her in and the couple soon fall in love. Shortly after Xiao takes Pan as his second wife, he leaves to take part in a political uprising. While he is away, Yulaing entertains herself by learning to paint.

She finds that she has an affinity for the art and begins to study at a local Chinese school. But, the school is shut down for using nude models. Since it’s clear that her homeland is too conservative, she travels to France with a classmate to continue her studies. After meeting with some success there, she returns to China to be with her husband. Much to their chagrin, however, the couple discovers that Yuliang is unable to bear children. Recognizing the importance in their culture for a man to have a son, Yuliang writes to Pan’s first wife, inviting her to come and stay with them. As can be expected, the situation soon becomes unbearable for Yuliang and she returns to Europe.

The story continues in this fashion, back and forth between countries and cultures, throughout Yuliang’s lifetime. As is typical of some Chinese film, much focus is put on the tragedy and pain of existence. So, the film isn’t particularly upbeat, but no less interesting and important, if only for its biographical content and social commentary. Pan Yulaing is clearly an important historical figure and the filmmakers of Hua hun paint the woman as strong-willed in the face of a very restrictive and male-centric society.

Aside from its significance as an historical piece, the film isn’t particularly interesting. Many tales from China seem to begin in brothels and end in tragedy. So, it wasn’t terribly exciting or original. It also seemed to drag on forever and I kept checking the clock, wondering how much more of it I would have to endure. I think that the film could have been much more exciting while still maintaining the same degree of historical accuracy (or inaccuracy?).

My impression of Hua hun wasn’t helped by the low production quality of the DVD. The only mildly appealing feature on the disc (aside from the film itself) was an introduction that was obviously taken from a British television program that, at one point, must have featured this film. It points out some of the cultural highlights, which doesn’t actually help if you watch this feature after viewing the movie. The picture itself is very poor. The film is grainy and washed out and, in some scenes, it’s even difficult to make out what the actors are doing. Not being able to see the movie definitely detracts from enjoyment of it!

The most positive attribute of A Soul Haunted by Painting was, by far, the acting. While I don’t agree with the profoundly popular opinion that Li Gong is one of the most beautiful actors in the world, I do agree that she’s one of the more talented. She plays a fantastic Pan Yuliang, until the character becomes elderly. After which, she is less convincing. However, that version of her character is a very brief part of the film and the rest of her performance is passionate and committed. Her male counterpart, Fang Cen, is talented as well. Watching their two characters interact is the most absorbing element of Hua hun and without these two, I think the film might have been quite a bit less bearable under most circumstances (wine and Vicoden make almost any movie bearable).

I like the character Pan Yulaing and I think she’s an important historical figure, especially from the viewpoint of women’s rights. However, this depiction of her life failed to move me and if it weren’t for the earnest efforts of its actors, I think I may have panned the film completely.

Overall Rating: 2
Hottie Rating: 0

Alternate Recommendation: Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams
Official Site (none found)
IMDB Page
SplicedWire DVD mini-review (the only other review I could find!)

***If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

Fay Grim (2006)

2008-03-25T15:56:00.008-06:00

Directed by: Hal Hartley
Format: DVD
DVD Features:
Starring: Parker Posey, Jeff Goldblum, James Urbaniak, Liam Aiken, Thomas Jay Ryan
Trailer

As I recall - and it’s been many years now - the movie Henry Fool was really good. I remember it as being an amusing, avant-garde film about an unusual poet janitor. Of course, I think I may have watched it back in my pot-smoking, Austin days (daze?) and nothing from that era of my life is terribly clear. So, I suppose it’s time I revisit that film, just to see if memory serves. Regardless, Henry Fool was directed by Hal Hartley and is the precursor to Fay Grim. So, when I saw Fay Grim in the video store, in the discount bin, and I needed to round out my stack of 4 for $20, my hazy recollection of Henry Fool prompted me to escort its sequel to the checkout counter.

Fay Grim (Posey) is the wife of Simon Grim, whose presence is presently unaccounted for. According to Agent Fulbright (Goldblum), Simon met his demise sometime after his scandalized flight from the country years ago. What Fulbright and his sidekick Carl Fogg (played by Leo Fitzpatrick) are after isn’t Fay’s estranged husband, but rather, the set of his journals. On the surface, his writings are merely the ramblings of a drunken lunatic. According to Fulbright, Simon’s ramblings may actually contain coded messages regarding national security. So, in exchange for her brother Henry’s release from prison, Fay agrees to fly to France in order to recover the books. The mission however, turns into a bit of a fiasco involving hitmen, international espionage and a secret radical political faction.

There are a number of aspects that make Fay Grim an unusual movie. Yes, it’s a low budget indie film with a few star actors, but that’s not what sets it apart. One obvious difference is the pacing of dialogue. Hartley’s characters all deliver their lines with an unsettling pattern of rhythmic pauses, so that everything they say seems suspect. Even though the plot involves some action scenes, foreign spies and mortal danger, it’s very clear that Fay Grim does not take itself seriously. I think that might be one thing that saves the movie. The entire film has the air of being an inside joke; one that you’re in on along with the actors. While the dialogue is only slightly annoying, what really irritated me was the lack of any straight camera angles. I am almost positive that every single shot in Fay Grim is slanted. At first, the technique was charmingly “art school”. After about 30 minutes of crooked scenes, it stopped being cute.

My verdict is still out on Parker Posey. I’ve never really had a fondness for the actress. Maybe it’s because she reminds me a little of Courtney Cox (and I hate Courtney Cox). Her performance in Blade Trinity was incredibly painful to watch. In Fay Grim, however, Posey was somewhat more appealing. On IMDB’s page for the movie, one user comments that Posey is, “the semi-official Queen of the Indies”. I never really thought of her that way, but as I peer at her filmography, it appears to support the claim. One thing’s for sure – her wardrobe in Fay Grim kicks butt. I am so running around in a black dress coat, wrist warmers and over-the-knee faux leather boots from now on!

One actor I’m not surprised to see on the indie circuit is Jeff Goldblum. He was fantastic in The Life Aquatic (is Wes Anderson still indie?). Like DeNiro and Walken, Goldblum is always himself, no matter which role he’s playing, but that doesn’t make him any less fun to watch. Fans of the actor will appreciate his portrayal as Agent Fulbright. Most of the cast from the original Henry Fool was retained for Fay Grim. One new character, however, is Ned Grim, Fay’s son. Ned is played by Liam Aiken, who I swore I’d loved in another film, but couldn’t remember for the longest time. Finally, I realized that he was Klaus in A Series of Unfortunate Events. Maybe it was the glasses that threw me off. All of the characters in this film are likeable (if somewhat strange) from one angle or another.

Sadly, Fay Grim failed to measure up to my expectations. It could be a bit confusing if you haven’t seen Henry Fool, but I think it’s equally so if you have. Aside from a little character background, which is hastily filled in anyway, you won’t miss out on much of the plot having not seen the first film. It’s a movie that requires a bit of attention, because most of the wit hits quickly and moves on. It doesn’t milk a joke for long. While I did enjoy the subtle humor here, the funniest scene might be Fay’s cell phone experience, which is almost entirely sight driven. But, the obnoxious camera work and the repetitive rhythm of the dialogue took away from my enjoyment of an otherwise entertaining flick. Used in moderation, the two techniques might have lent the film more charm.

Overall Rating: 2
Hottie Rating: 4 (for Aiken, if I was 20 years younger and for Simon, who I have an unexplained raging sexual desire for)

Alternate Recommendation: Doom Generation
Official site
IMDB Page
Roger Ebert's review

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Juno (2007)

2008-02-29T09:47:00.009-07:00

Directed by: Jason Reitman
Format: Theater
Starring: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman
Trailer

Pending a verdict on her book Candy Girl, Diablo Cody might just be my new hero. A former stripper, Cody (that’s a nom de plume), is a year younger than me and has already won an Academy Award. She rocked out on Oscar night, looking like a tattooed Cleopatra. IMDB quotes her as saying, “If this whole writing thing doesn't work out, I'll be getting right back on the pole.” I admire her attitude and I think that the backlash against her is undeserved, but inevitable. Bottom line – she seems particularly human for Hollywood.

Like recent many, I came to know of Diablo Cody because she wrote the screenplay for the movie Juno. Several trusted friends recommended the film to me and when I heard that it stars one of my favorite new actresses, Ellen Page, I had to check it out. I even went to a late showing during the middle of the week so that I wouldn’t have to put up with irritating crowds. The experience would have been perfect if it weren’t for the $9.25 admission. (I feel a savage rant coming on about the steady decline of the movie going experience, but I’ll get back to the subject at hand.)

Juno tells the story of the title character, a high school student who finds herself dealing with an unexpected pregnancy. After flirting briefly with the idea of abortion, she decides to carry the child to term and find a suitable couple to take over. When she visits the home of Vanessa and Mark Loring, Juno chooses the couple as the ideal candidates for surrogate parenthood. All that’s left for her to do is cope with being the only pregnant girl in school, deciding what she wants from her relationship with the father, and her shifting hormones. Easy, right?

Fortunately for her, Juno has the help of a good friend and the support of a wonderful father and step-mom. She’s also got a tough hide and a sarcastic attitude. I thought that Ellen Page did a wonderful job portraying the pregnant teenager. However, I noticed certain elements of her character in Hard Candy carried over to this film. Juno is like a snippet of Hayley Stark extended over a 96 minute time frame. Maybe that’s why she was chosen for the role or maybe Page has less range than I’d hoped. Regardless of the similarity, I enjoyed each character immensely. Second to Juno, I think my favorite character in this movie might have been her boyfriend Bleeker, played by Michael Cera. He’s a little bit of an awkward dork, but he’s so genuine and good-hearted that it’s hard not to be drawn to him.

In fact, the entire film is pleasantly quirky like that, from the soundtrack to the dialogue; something like a cross between Napoleon Dynamite and Little Miss Sunshine. I wonder if the people out there, who’ve criticized Juno for its lingo, have ever listened to a group of teenagers carry on a conversation. Judging from my experience as sister to a teenaged brother, Diablo Cody captured the demographic superbly in that regard. I just wish I could get that Moldy Peaches song out of my head!

It was nice to see a film about a topic that could have easily been a heavily dramatic one, treated with a lighter touch. It’s important to remember that Juno isn’t a movie about teen pregnancy. It’s a story about a girl and how that individual experiences being a pregnant teen. So, don’t look to the film to provide poignant social commentary or moral lessons. Don’t expect a lengthy examination of the abortion issue. Just relax and let yourself fall in love with the characters.

Overall Rating: 4
Hottie Rating: 3 (I'm hot for Bleeker)

Alternate Recommendation: Little Miss Sunshine
Official Site
IMDB Page
Austin Chronicle review

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No Country for Old Men (2007)

2008-02-29T08:58:00.007-07:00

Directed by: Ethan and Joel Coen
Format: Theater
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson, Kelly Macdonald

There was only one movie nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture this year that I actually had the chance to see prior to the ceremony. However, if I had it to do over again, I would have chosen the same film. After all, No Country for Old Men may not have been the most hyped movie of 2007, but it walked away with the most statues.

Deep in the heart of Texas, Llewelyn Moss (Brolin) is shootin’ at some food, when he catches sight of an injured dog in his scope. Following the dog’s trail of blood back to its origin, he discovers a cluster of pickup trucks and a collection of fresh corpses. It appears to be the scene of a drug deal gone sour and when Llewelyn finds a suitcase full of money, he doesn’t stick around to ask the dead any questions. He’s a clever fellow and he knows that someone will be looking for the cash. What he doesn’t know is that the “someone” is Anton Chigurh (Bardem), and Anton Chigurh isn’t exactly the most well-balanced individual in town. In fact, during one of the earliest scenes, Anton gives us a good healthy dose of just how nuts he really is. You might laugh at the haircut, but hardly any who cross paths with the man is laughing, or ever will again.

Apparently, I’m not the only one who thought that Javier Bardem played an excellent hired killer. He did, after all, earn himself an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for this role. I loved the cool brand of insanity he put forth as Anton. His character isn’t Mickey & Mallory crazy, but smooth and sinister like James Bond if he had roomed with John Wayne Gacy in college. Tommy Lee Jones plays the small town cop trying to get a handle on the madness involved with his new case. Jones is one of those actors, to me, who can be either really terrible, or fairly solid, depending on what movie he’s in. In this one, he does a good job. His character is basically just watching from the sidelines though and primarily works to help the audience glue the pieces together and reflect on the bigger picture. Harrelson appears in a brief role as Carson Wells, the second hit man sent out to recover the suitcase full of cash. But, he talks a big talk without backing it up with anything impressive. The only purpose I could see for Wells was as a foil for Chigurh; to offer up an example of another hired man for the main killer to contrast against. Although well played, I didn’t feel that Harrelson’s character was necessary. I was engrossed in Josh Brolin’s character most of all. Llewelyn had that “common man” appeal, but with an unexpected edge of cunning. So, he was easy to root for as the protagonist. Even though I thought Anton Chigurh was a force to be reckoned with, I kept hoping Moss would get the jump on him.

Ever since Raising Arizona, I’ve been enamored of the Coens’ filmmaking. As if that film isn’t already a fine example, they went on from there, directing Blood Simple, The Big Lebowski and Fargo (another Oscar winner). I could go on for ages about the other films I’ve enjoyed from their filmography. However, the Coens are not infallible. In 2000, there was O Brother, Where Art Thou? , which was thoroughly disappointing. When they fell short of the mark again in 2004 with The Ladykillers, I was beginning to think they’d lost their touch. But, then came No Country for Old Men. At last, my faith was restored! It has everything that I’d come to love from the Coens; good dialogue, interesting characters, and just a little touch of oddity. No Country also has a more ethereal theme that overlays the entire film.

Since I actually braved the theaters for this movie, I had the opportunity to judge crowd reaction to the film. During the majority of the picture, there wasn’t the usual obnoxious rustling of popcorn bags, inconsiderate glowing of cell phones or irritating chatting going on. There was only silence, as if everyone was on the edge of their seats. This tells me that the movie did a great job of holding everyone’s interest. At the conclusion of the movie, there was audibly disappointed gasping. Personally, I enjoy an open-ended finale from time to time. However, it seems that this audience (and maybe you as well) doesn’t approve of endings that don’t arrive in neatly tied-up packages.

Overall Rating: 5
Hottie Rating: 3 (for Javier and his voice)

Alternate viewing recommendation: Miller's Crossing
Official Site
IMDB Page
San Francisco Chronicle review

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