Atonement (2007)

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

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Premonition (2007)

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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The Darjeeling LImited (2007)

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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Juno (2007)

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)

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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I Am Legend (2007)

Directed by: Francis Lawrence
Format: Theater
Starring: Will Smith, Alice Braga, Willow Smith, Salli Richardson, Abby

I Am Legend was one of the few films of 2007 that had its release date marked on my calendar. Everyone I knew was as eager to see it as I was. What made this movie so anticipated? Was it star power? Was it the theme? Was the trailer especially clever? For me, I think it was all three. Funny; even before I saw it, I kept saying that the film reminded me of an old Charlton Heston movie. Come to find out, the movie The Omega Man (1971) was adapted from the same novel - I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. There was apparently a third movie, The Last Man on Earth (which I haven’t seen) that also used the novel as a foundation. So, if nothing else, it seems I have a new book to add to my list.

Watch any of the TV spots for I Am Legend and you’ll get the basic gist of the movie. Robert Neville (Smith) is the last remaining human in New York City and, as far as he knows, the world. His only companion is Sam (Abby), a German Shepherd. Together they go through their daily routine; exercise, gathering food and trying to contact other survivors. As is typical of many other films in the genre, the rest of the population has contracted a virus which has turned them into inhuman monsters. These beasts only come out at night however, which is when Neville and Sam barricade themselves indoors. When he’s not simply trying to survive, Neville works on a cure for the virus that he himself is immune to, hoping to bring back some of the populous.

Some of the CGI in I Am Legend is a bit hokey. The deer and some of the monsters don’t move very convincingly. On the other hand, seeing Times Square deserted and overgrown with weeds was eerie enough. The zombie creatures definitely look like they came out of a video game. Granted, it’s harder to tell these days with graphics improving in leaps and bounds. Even though the city is empty and all the cars in the streets, save one, are stationary, it doesn’t seem to be a completely miserable environment. I’d be willing to bet that a sizeable number of New Yorkers might prefer the streets all to themselves.

I really believe that Will Smith is a terrific movie actor. He’s had the misfortune to be involved in a few stinkers (Wild Wild West), but even DeNiro has his bad days. From the first movie I saw him in, Six Degrees of Separation, it became apparent that Smith had skills beyond that of his musical career. I Am Legend is another movie he can count as a successful performance. It’s difficult for one actor to carry an entire movie on his own in the first place. Smith does it and makes it look easy. Abby did a great job too!

I’m the kind of person who wakes up everyday and hopes that a zombie apocalypse has occurred while I was sleeping. So, the idea of being the only human left isn’t particularly terrifying. But, I do think that the sorrow and solitude of losing human companions would eventually corrode the mind, as it does with Neville – to a degree. I enjoyed the idea of the last survivor as a scientist, trying to cure the disease. It was a different twist I haven’t seen often in the zombie genre. My only real complaint with I Am Legend is the ending. It seemed unnecessary and that lack of necessity cheapened what might have been a heroic finish.

Overall Rating: 3 ½
Hottie Rating: 3 (Smith doing pull-ups)

Alternate recommendation: The Omega Man
Official site
IMDB page
James Berardinelli’s review

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30 Days of Night (2007)

Director: David Slade
Format: theater
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, Ben Foster, Danny Huston, Megan Franich
trailer

For every monster, whether it be in movies or in video games, there are rules. Rules such as; vampires die in the sunlight, werewolves are killed with silver bullets, and the only way to kill a zombie is to destroy its brain. Rules tell the heroes how to survive. Even when the monsters are not standard fare, the ground rules have to be laid in order for the audience to understand how the game is to be played. The zombies in 28 Days Later were not the normal, slow variety that audiences were used to. However, the filmmakers let us know how people were infected and how to avoid becoming a victim. Without some kind of structure, things can go to Hell.

30 Days of Night takes place in Barrow, Alaska - the Northern most town of the United States. This far North on the globe, the sun takes a month off in Winter. So, if you’re a creature of the night, it’s the perfect place to vacation. Just as the sun gets ready to dive below the horizon, a stranger arrives in town. A mysterious chain of circumstances eliminates every escape route and puts the only apparent law officer in residence, Eben Oleson (Hartnett), on his guard. But, he doesn’t have much time to sit around and ponder the situation, because the town falls under attack. Vampires. Much of the town is slaughtered right away, but a small group of citizens manages to find a hiding place and try to find a way to survive until the sun returns.

30 Days of Night has some interesting costuming and makeup. All of the vampires are in spiffy suits and have very animalistic faces. However, instead of the standard elongated incisors, they have two rows of very sharp teeth. I liked that the vampires didn’t speak English. I’m no linguistics major, but their dialect sounded something akin to Russian. They’ve all got the strength and agility of vampires, but not much in the way of personality. Call me a traditionalist, but I prefer the Anne Rice, romantic, sexy vampires to the creatures in this movie. Rather than seducing their prey, they go about slaughtering and tearing throats, much more like a zombie would. They seem to gain no sustenance from their victims and delight merely in the kill. I don’t really like this strain of vampire. They didn’t carry much of the allure that I’m used to.

One thing that surprised me about 30 Day of Night was the gore. After the first 30 minutes of the film, I was resigned to the possibility that I may see nothing more than a few blood spattered walls. Once the main characters became the last survivors in town, the gore factor improved dramatically. There’s even a scene where one man has his head chopped off with an ax. Usually, it’s only the swing and the screaming that suggest a beheading that we get to see. In this film, the actual chopping in full, gory detail fills the screen. Right on! I wonder how it managed to sustain an R rating.

I have quickly become a fan of Josh Hartnett. He’s a bit more rugged (and fully dressed) than I’ve seen him in other films, but no less tasty. On top of his killer good looks, the boy can act. His female counterpart in 30 Days of Night is Stella, played by Melissa George. Her character is a little irritating at the start of the movie, but soon becomes a valuable part of the group. Most of the other characters in the movie are sort of mundane. There wasn’t any feeling of loss as they dropped off one by one. No particularly stellar performances. Eben’s little brother Jake (Mark Rendall) was annoying and I never felt any sort of real connection between him and the older Oleson.

I would wait for 30 Days of Night to hit the rental shelves before viewing. It isn’t nearly worth the $9.50 or other outrageous sum paid for admission. The gore factor almost redeems this movie, but the lack of any sort of guidelines (aside from an aversion to sunlight) or personality on the part of the villains makes the struggle unimpressive.

Overall Rating: 2 ½
Hottie Rating: 4 (Hartnett, of course)

Alternate Viewing: Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Official Site
IMDB Site
Horror Movie A Day review

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Spiderman 3 (2007)

Director: Sam Raimi
Format: theater
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Topher Grace, James Franco

I’ll admit to having been a comic book geek once upon a time. I’ve still got a small collection, but I don’t spend $100 a week on them anymore. It’s an art form like any other; to be respected and appreciated. The history of movie adaptations from comics is spotty. The first two Batman movies were decent, as was the most recent Batman Begins (2005). A few of the early Superman movies were good and the X-Men movies to date have met with success. Contrast those with the painfully horrible Batman & Robin (1997) and Hulk (2003). The Catwoman movie, starring Halle Berry, is on my list of worst movies of all time. So, I think it takes just the right combination of elements to make a good comic hero movie. The first two films in Sam Raimi’s Spiderman series have been wildly popular and anticipation for the third was widespread. I even got goose bumps during the trailer. But, how long can our friendly neighborhood Spidey keep up the good work on screen?

In the third and latest installment of the Spiderman trifecta, a mysterious life form arrives on the planet in the shape of a black goo. Unbeknownst to Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire), the tar-like alien attaches itself to the Spidey suit. When Parker reaches for his costume, he discovers that it has turned from the usual red and black to a sinister black and silver. And when he dons the outfit, he learns that he’s got even more strength and power than before. Meanwhile, misunderstood convict Flint Marko (Thomas Haden Church) finds himself trapped in a research experiment that jumbles up his molecules with a pile of sand and turns him into The Sandman. Electing, of course, to use his new qualities for criminal gain, he terrorizes the city’s bank vaults. While fighting this new menace, Spiderman discovers that Marko is the man truly responsible for his Uncle Ben’s death.

Remember Harry Osborn (James Franco)? Well, he’s still a little sore at Spiderman for killing his father. So, he decides to take on the guise of The New Goblin and even the score. And, as if these two villains weren’t enough for our hero to battle, there’s another character with a bone to pick. But, this time it’s with Peter. Eddie Brock (Topher Grace) is contending with Parker for a photography job at The Daily Planet and almost convinces Jameson (J.K. Simmons) to replace him. When Parker points out that Brock’s snapshots of Spiderman are fraudulent, Brock loses the position and develops a grudge.

On top of all the new villains to contend with, Peter has internal issues to fight. The new, black Spidey suit not only makes Peter stronger, it also amplifies his darker urges. He lands his relationship with Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) on the rocks by planting a kiss on the police captain’s daughter, Gwen Stacy (Bryce Dallas Howard). But, then he upsets Gwen when he uses her to make MJ jealous. He gets up in Brock’s face in an uncharacteristic show of aggression at the newspaper and demands freshly baked cookies from his neighbor Ursula (Mageine Tovah). Before long, Parker realizes that he’s out of control and manages to detach the alien goo from his suit. When the creature finds a new host in Brock, Brock is transformed into Venom, one of Spiderman’s deadliest foes yet.

Since I seem to be in the mood for confessions, I might as well admit that I’ve been carrying a little torch for Topher Grace since the first episode of That 70’s Show. So, it was great to see him outside of the basement and in a feature film. Add to that the wicked nature and devilish fangs and we have a grin of approval for his performance as Eddie Brock/Venom. Maguire and Dunst are just as fantastic as they were in the first film. In fact, I cannot call to mind any actor in Spiderman 3 who didn’t do a great job. I was impressed by Church’s portrayal of Flint/Sandman. He was able to give the villain a softer side without making it terribly sappy or comical. Even though he’s the killer Spiderman thought he’d already punished, it’s difficult not to be sympathetic towards him. As expected, Raimi’s good friend Bruce Campbell makes it onto the cast and keep your eyes open for comic book legend Stan Lee to make a cameo appearance.

My main criticism of Spiderman 3 is that there are too many new characters squeezed into the plot at once. Like a Cirque du Soleil show, there’s so much going on at the same time, that it’s hard to fully enjoy everything. There’s Flint, Sandman, Gwen, Brock, and the ooze as both Venom and the black suit and they all have separate issues. I did enjoy the brief reuniting of Parker and Osborn, after Harry temporarily loses his memory. But, when he comes back as New Goblin (I thought it was Hob Goblin in the comics? Anyone?), it’s almost a waste of energy.

Although the third movie didn’t have the impact of the first two, it was still great fun to watch. Seeing Parker act out his less honorable intentions made me smile. It reminded me of the scene in one of the old Superman movies, when Superman gets his powers back and goes to return a beat-down to a trucker at a bar. I think that, as average individuals, it’s refreshing to see our heroes express some negativity from time to time. It makes the character seem more human, and thus, easier to identify with. Nobody likes a goody-two-shoes, do they?

Spiderman 3 has just as much web-slinging action as the first two, but maybe just a little too much action all at once. While the concept has been around for a while, the Raimi’s (Sam & Ivan wrote the screenplay) have done a great job in keeping the series from going wrong. So many other trilogies have gone horribly stale by their third go-round and I was relieved to see that Spidey still has most of the old magic.

Overall Rating: 3 ½
Hottie Rating: 4 (Grace is a cutie and no one has looked as good as Maguire in the Spidey suit)

Alternate viewing: Unbreakable
Official site
IMDB site
ReelViews review

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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

Director: David Yates
Format: Theater
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Imelda Staunton, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson
Trailer

I have to admit it; I was late jumping on the Harry Potter bandwagon. I only just began reading the novels in June, but I’m halfway through The Prisoner of Azkaban already. I’m addicted. I even bought a bag of Bertie Bott’s Every-flavor beans. So far, my only disappointment is that the film adaptations to that point are so close to the novels. So, having seen a majority of the Potter movies, there haven’t been any surprises in the books. That’s quite a turn from my usual book-to-movie experience. Having not caught up to the most recent movie: Order of the Phoenix, I don’t know if the adaptation of that particular novel is up to par. However, I have heard rumor that the thicker the books get, the looser the adaptations.

Once again, Harry’s mortal enemy, Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), seems to be on the rise to power. Cornelius Fudge and The Ministry of Magic are in a state of paranoid denial and launch a smear campaign in The Daily Prophet aimed at Harry and Hogwarts. The only people who seem to realize the truth about the Dark Lord’s return are a group of faithful witches and wizards called The Order of the Phoenix. Fearing that The Order is creating rumors in order to overthrow the Ministry, Fudge removes Dumbledore and Hagrid from the school and appoints the new teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts, Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) as headmaster. Her enthusiastic attitude and cheerful tone of voice do little to veil the sinister creature beneath. Umbridge is obviously a fan of the “old school” methods of punishment. The students at Hogwarts are trying to do their best to cope with the stringent new rules, while Harry struggles with his own inner demons (and pubescent angst).

Daniel Radcliffe has played the character of Harry Potter throughout the entire series. In fact, one aspect I love about the films is that all of the original actors have stuck with their roles. But, contrary to some other reviews I’ve read, I don’t think that Radcliffe has developed much as an actor. Sure, he’s obviously grown quite a bit at a physical level, but Radcliffe seems to have relied on the same five facial expressions all along. I was a little more forgiving when he was still a kid. On the contrary, Rupert Grint, who plays Ron Weasley and Emma Watson, who plays Hermione Granger have both grown nicely into their characters. Grint plays Ron exactly as I would have imagined him from the novels and he and Watson have only gotten more convincing.

The obviously more seasoned actors are a bit more consistent with their performances. My favorite characters in the series have always been Professor Snape (Alan Rickman) and Sirius Black (Gary Oldman). I love the way Rickman portrays the villain who is always really on the good side. He conveys his distain for Potter and his crew with just the perfect roll of the eyes and heavy sarcasm. I have to whine a bit that Black’s character isn’t around much in Order. There’s a new character in this movie; Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch) and I was hoping that she would be a new love interest for Harry. I love the innocently creepy addition to the cast. However, Harry sticks with Cho Chang (Katie Leung). I hope to see Luna developed more in the next stage of the story. Nymphadora Tonks (Natalia Tena) is in the movie briefly as well. But, there are so many characters in The Order of the Phoenix, that many of the seemingly more interesting ones are only barely touched upon. I would have liked to have seen more character development with Helena Bonham Carter’s character, Bellatrix Lestrange.

Of course, The Order is filled with dazzling special effects, from ghostly dementors to a fierce lightning battle. But, this installment is a bit darker and more sinister than the others. It’s unsettling to see Hogwarts such a gloomy place. Most of the scenes are heavy with dark blue, black and steely hues that add a cold unpleasantness to the entire film. Of course, that must have been the idea. Despite the title of the film, the storyline doesn't do much more than touch on what the Order is about and how it was founded.

If you haven’t seen the other Potter movies, or read the books, you will be completely lost with Order. So, I definitely do not recommend this movie for anyone who isn’t already invested in the series. But for those of us who’ve been following the story, Order of the Phoenix is a very dark and menacing installment comparatively. It also seems as if it’s straining to fit too much into too short a timeline. I’d only recommend it as a reference to the next movie. I think most Potter fans will see it anyway, but it’s not one of my favorite Potter films.

Overall Rating: 3
Hottie Rating: 2 (is it okay to think Potter's hot now?)

Alternate viewing: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Official site
IMDB site
FilmJerk review

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1408 (2007)

Director: Mikael Håfström
Format: Theater
Starring: John Cusack, Samuel Jackson, Jasmine Jessica Anthony, Mary McCormack
Trailer

I do not, in general, seek out movies based on Stephen King novels. In fact, I usually avoid them. The only exception to that has been The Shining. However, it is rumored that the author of the book did not agree with Kubrick’s adaptation. I stopped being able to stomach King’s writing after my freshman year in high school. Until that point, I’d read many of his earlier novels and my favorite was the collection of shorts entitled, “Skeleton Crew”. Aside from the afore mentioned film, most movies based on King’s books are terribly scripted and painful to watch. I cannot claim to have read 1408 and therefore cannot vouch for the movie’s accuracy.

The trailer for 1408 is a bit misleading. It explains that Mike Enslin (John Cusack), after having suffered the loss of his young daughter, becomes obsessed with the paranormal and seeks out his child’s ghost. While that idea can certainly be interpreted from the film, it’s not the main plot point or even openly stated. Mr. Enslin is a writer (surprised?) who is sarcastic, cynical, borderline alcoholic, and does not believe in ghosts or the afterlife. He travels the country, checking into purportedly haunted places of lodging and publishing his reviews in guides like, “Top 10 Spooky Graveyards” or “10 Haunted Lighthouses” (I made those titles up). Judging from his small array of ghost hunting gadgets though, he does appear to be seeking proof to challenge his skepticism. When he receives a mysterious postcard warning him to stay away from room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel, naturally, that’s the first place he goes. After a wordy argument with the hotel’s manager, Gerald Olin (Samuel Jackson), Enslin steps up to the challenge and enters room 1408. This time, he’s not disappointed.

John Cusack has proven himself, to me at least, to be a very solid actor. I am pleased that he didn’t sink in the mire of his 1980’s chick-flick past as so many stars of the time did. It’s a good thing too, because 1408 is primarily a one man show, with most of the film taking place while Enslin is alone in the hotel room. (I use the word “alone” very loosely in this instance.) He is terrific at playing the cynical type, as in High Fidelity, which makes him a great skeptic ghost hunter. Samuel Jackson is also known to give a solid performance. Although his character has a very minor role in the story, it is chock full of the type of dialog delivery the actor became known for in Pulp Fiction. The rest of the actors appear only briefly here and there. As usual, the child annoyed me to death.

1408 gave me some serious acid flashbacks. Seriously. Some of the special effects were a bit hokey. Specifically, Olin’s appearance in the refrigerator. However, I can honestly say that at least the first portion of the film had me drawing my feet up onto the seat. (Ever get that feeling that something’s just about to grab your ankles?) There are a few glaring continuity errors. The most obvious is the fact that, despite being told that electronics do not function in room 1408, Enlin is able to operate his cell phone, his laptop, the radio and light switches. It might have been interesting to delve more closely into the individual ghosts haunting the room, but the movie focuses most directly on Enlin’s inner psyche and past. His daughter’s death from an undisclosed illness and his subsequent separation from his wife plague him as the main terrors of room 1408. There are some hints during the film of what the ending will look like, but just when you might think it’s over – it’s not.

So, it appears that 1408 has entered the elite ranks of the two Stephen King movies I can stand. A surprising thumbs up. It is a commonly known bit of trivia that the author appears in every one of his films (except The Shining), just like Hitchcock and, now, Shyamalan. I didn’t notice him myself, but maybe you can spot him.

Overall Rating: 4
Hottie Rating: 1 (eh, Cusack's not bad)

Alternate viewing: Night Watch (Russia)
Official Site
IMDB Page
Wild Bluff Media review

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Update

I have added a poll to the navbar on the right. The purpose of this poll is to gather information for some possible changes to the site. So, I'm looking for YOUR opinions on how to improve Neko Goes to the Movies. Please go and vote and make your voice heard!

From time to time, I may change the poll to something bizarre or practical, but you'll never know until you click!

Free Ticket Alert!

If you're in the downtown Denver area today, Highlander Comix on Colfax is giving away free movie passes to Grindhouse (you know, the new Tarantino double feature). The showing will be at the Denver Pavillions tomorrow night. From speaking with one of their employees, I gather that there are only a few left at the store. However, usually when these types of things go out, there are several locations at which the tickets are dropped off. So, if you don't see any left at Highlander, try one of the local coffee shops (not Starbucks) or Watercourse.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to make the show tomorrow night, even if I could get up from my desk and run down there. So, good luck to the rest of you!

The Envelope Please...

In case you haven’t heard this anywhere else by now, here are the results of some of the Academy’s biggest awards:

Best Actor in a Leading Role: Forrest Whitaker for The Last King of Scotland
Best Actress in a Leading Role: Helen Mirren for The Queen
Best Cinematography: Guillermo Navarro for Pan’s Labyrinth
Best Director: Martin Scorsese for The Departed
Best Picture: The Departed

I am thrilled to death that Martin Scorsese was finally, finally recognized with an Academy Award. It has been so long overdue. He is one of my favorite directors and all of his films are at the top of my favorites list. The Departed was the only movie that I’ve seen so far that was up for an award this year, and I think it was well deserved. Definitely added to my list after last night were: Pan’s Labyrinth, The Queen, and Little Miss Sunshine. I was almost positive that Will Smith would win the best actor award for Pursuit of Happyness, which I have been anxious to see. However, Whitaker's acceptance speech was the most moving of them all. I actually got a little choked up myself, seeing his wife's tears and listening to Forrest try to hold back his.

In other highlights, Ennio Morricone won a Lifetime Achievement award for his work with musical scores. I can’t imagine not having seen a film that he worked on; there have been so many famous movies with his unique touch. Apparently, the Italian composer is not fluent in English, so Clint Eastwood provided the translation of his acceptance speech.

Hosting this year was Ellen DeGeneres. With all of the talk about the diversity of the nominees this year, I am actually surprised to hear nothing of Ellen being the first openly homosexual host of the Oscars (I could be wrong about that though). I also have a hunch that Al Gore was also the first former Vice President to be in attendance, let alone on stage. He, of course, was up for his movie An Inconvenient Truth.

As usual, there were musical numbers during the first half of the ceremony, to pad out the program until the big awards were announced. One such number was a song by Will Ferrell, Jack Black and John C. Reilly about how sad it is to be a comedic actor at the Oscars. Even though I found the segment to be monotonous and uninteresting, the point was valid. Comedies like Talladega Nights almost never win the golden statue. Another musical number was a song from the movie Cars. I was bored to tears by that one.

It may seem odd, but aside from Scorsese’s big win, my favorite part of Oscar night wasn’t even part of the program. During one of the commercial breaks, the network aired a commercial for American Express. Another of my top directors is Wes Anderson (director of The Royal Tannenbaums and Rushmore) and he was the star of the advertisement. I was giddey! Ever notice that, just like the Super Bowl and the Grammy’s, the commercials during these programs are definitely geared toward music, movie or football oriented ads?

The Messengers (2007)

Directors: Oxide Pang Chun & Danny Pang
Venue: Theater
Starring: Dylan McDermott, Kristen Stewart, Penelope Ann Miller
Trailer

On a whim, I decided to treat myself to a movie after work. Having missed so many horror films in the theater lately, I was craving big screen scare. So, I went online and looked up the closest starting time at the nearest cinema. I remembered that the trailer for The Messengers had given me chills and I decided that it would be my choice for the evening. Ten minutes and five dollars later, I was seated in a virtually empty theater and hoping for the best.

After a hard time in the big city, Roy (Dylan McDermott) decides to invest in some property and pack his family off to farm country. Little does he suspect, their new home has a sorted past. As Roy prepares to try his hand at growing sunflowers, his wife Denise (Penelope Ann Miller) unpacks, his daughter Jess (Kristen Stewart) mopes about and his son Ben gets acquainted with the house’s “late” residents. Although Jess has an inkling that there’s something different about the house, she doesn’t really begin to worry until she is witness to a terrifying display of paranormal activity. Naturally, her parents aren’t around when the furniture starts to fly about and they accuse her of acting out in rebellion against the move. Typical horror film parents. Jess realizes though, that her speechless brother can see the ghosts too. Scenes of her carrying the toddler around, seeking out apparitions were what initially spooked me about the trailer.

Unfortunately, that aspect of the feature itself wasn’t as prominent as I’d anticipated. That wasn’t the only disappointment either. The interaction between the characters in The Messengers seemed a bit disjointed. Judging from the way her parents are acting, one would imagine that Jess is throwing a fit about the family’s relocation. In actuality, she seems to be adjusting quite well and isn’t snotty or misbehaved at all. In the beginning, Roy seems to be very considerate of his daughter’s wellbeing. But, midway through the story, she starts to seek the farmhand, Burwell (John Corbett), for understanding. The mother isn’t much of a person either. It seems that she’s gone so far into the country only to facilitate her husband’s desires and doesn’t offer much of her own input on any subject. Oddly, there is never any mention of what Jess’ school situation might be either. She does meet a nice boy in town, but his character only seems to have been written into the script for the sake of convenience. He doesn’t really have much of a personality. Basically, the entire cast of characters is very lukewarm.

Here’s a question: Why do the ghosts in the house seem so hell bent on harming the girl, but not her younger sibling? The “fright factor” in The Messengers is as tepid as the cast. Granted, being the horror movie veteran that I am, it takes quite a bit to make me jump. Each of the moments designed to make the audience leap up in their seats is very formulaic. If you’ve been around the block a few times, they’re easy to see coming. What I crave these days is a pervasive creepiness and rising goose bumps. I didn’t find that the haunted farmhouse offered much in the way of spooky atmosphere.

The special effects in The Messengers are mediocre as well. Compared to The Grudge, the ghosts here are essentially of the same variety, but somewhat less terrifying. The basic plot and storyline have already been used in a score of previous movies and the “twist” at the end, despite the fact that I didn’t see it coming, wasn’t a surprise at all.

One of the little things I did enjoy about the movie was the presence of crows. I have a “thing” for the large, black creatures and can appreciate the element they bring to a scene in almost any setting. They’re significance in this movie is a little obscure aside from just being a nuisance to the farmer. The toddler (played by Evan and Theodore Turner) didn’t get on my nerves even slightly, as most child actors do. Maybe it was because he only has one line in the film.

At the risk of being redundant at this point, I’ll go ahead and officially state that this movie was a disappointment. Even the title leaves me wondering what the producers were thinking. The “messengers” aren’t really trying too hard to send any kind of “message” other than to scare the crap out of Jess. Granted, this wasn’t as awfully rank as some of the other movies currently out (just wait for my review of Primevil), but it fell far short of my expectations. The verdict: avoid spending money on a ticket to this one and rent it only if you can find a discount.

Overall Rating: 2
Hottie Rating: 0

Alternate viewing: The Sixth Sense
Official site
IMDB site
Rotten Tomatoes review

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