The Weather Man (2005)

Director: Gore Verbinski
Format: DVD
DVD Features: trailer, featurettes
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Michael Caine, Hope Davis
Trailer

The latest batch of movies in my mailbox have all starred Nicolas Cage. Which means, several months ago, when I made my selection online, I must have felt that my movie watching menu could use a little dash of Cage. Although I don’t recall now what led me to that conclusion, I find that I’m enjoying the experience of having a Cage-Fest. What’s nice about viewing a series of movies headlined by the same actor, is that it’s easy to compare how an actor performs in certain roles, as opposed to others, and notice their progression in style at varying time periods.

In The Weather Man, Cage plays a middle-aged local weatherman. He is separated from his wife and struggling in relationships with his two children. He constantly feels that his ailing father (Michael Caine) disapproves of him; his career, his attempts at fatherhood, and the fact that he never has more than a dollar in his wallet. It doesn’t help that the general public takes delight in hitting him with fast food. Throughout the film, the viewer is given insight to David’s (Cage) thoughts via first person narration.

I found the vast majority of the film to be very depressing. Here’s our hero, David, trying his best to hold things together, and failing at every turn despite his best intentions. His failure is not set in a comical light, aside from the food throwing, but rather an all-to-realistic one. Some might feel that the realism of the picture is a credit to the filmmakers. However, for me it was a gloomy reminder of the mundane life most of us likely experience and would like to get away from. I suppose that I look to movies for an escape of sorts, and The Weather Man did not provide that for me. But, ironically, it’s the realism of the ending that I liked. All of David’s plans do not come together in a sugary Disneyland conclusion, but rather, it’s culminated in an inner realization that leads to David’s satisfaction with his circumstances.

Nicolas Cage performs well in an underdog role. I think that one of his best aspects is that the audience can sympathize with him and really feels a lift when his characters win. His casting in “bad ass” roles, like Ghost Rider and Wild At Heart are a testament to that. Michael Caine is always Michael Caine. His bread and butter is the stoic wisdom he so easily conveys, and it is rare to see him step outside that mold. Noreen (Hope Davis) is the quintessential ex-wife. (Although she’s a little bit more friendly than Kathleen Turner in The War of The Roses.) Their two children, Shelly and Mike are realistically remote and apathetic. The acting all around was solid and it wasn’t at all a negative aspect of the film.

Most of the movie takes place in Chicago during the winter, which makes everything all the more depressing. However, there are some wonderful shots of the ice and rain. Appropriate, of course, for a movie about a man who predicts the weather. Almost all of the scenes are cityscapes full of taxicabs and highrises. The movies takes place in the current time period, so it’s hard to get too creative with costume and wardrobe design. I will say that the change in Shelly’s dress was a vast improvement. In that regard, I think that the wardrobe was clever. Everyone else’s clothing realistically reflects the suit and tie world of the upper middle class city dweller; mostly greys and blacks and not much flare or attitude.

I think that The Weather Man could have used a bit of comedy here and there to lighten the tone. The movie would have been just as effective in getting the point across, but wouldn’t have been such a bummer to watch. Even the ending is hardly uplifting enough to make the previous 101 minutes worth sitting through. A horrible tragedy would have even given a refreshing change to the tone of the film. But, even when David loses his father, it’s hard to feel much of an emotional reaction. So, if you’re looking for an uplifting tale, The Weather Man is not the movie for you.

Overall Rating: 1 ½
Hottie Rating: 0 (bummer)

Alternate Viewing: Little Children
Official Site
IMDB Site
Frank’s Reel Reviews review

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

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)

Director: Gore Verbinski
Venue: Theater
Starring: Johnny Depp, Keira Knightly, Orlando Bloom
trailer

If you haven’t seen the prequel to this movie, go and rent it now. There are loads of jokes and plot devices that require having seen the first movie to appreciate. Eventually, I will review that one as well, but take my word for it now – it’s great! I only wish there were more pirate movies of this caliber to enjoy. Oh please, oh please, let part 3 come out soon! In the past, I have dreaded follow-ups to my favorite movies. Lately though, movies like Spiderman and Lord of the Rings have proven that the rest of the series can be just as good as their predecessors.

Dead Man’s Chest picks up very near to where we last left Capt. Jack Sparrow (Depp), Will Turner (Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Knightley). On the day of her wedding to Will, Swann is abducted from the altar and thrown in jail. The head of a powerful trading company has an interest in Jack Sparrow’s mysterious compass and knows that Will is the most likely person to be able to find it. So, Elizabeth will be pardoned if Turner can accomplish this task. Capt. Sparrow, meanwhile, is aboard the Black Pearl and has a quest of his own to fulfill. He needs the key to the Dead Man’s Chest, but his compass doesn’t seem to be leading him in the right direction anymore. The Dead Man in question is Davey Jones, an undead sailor with command over the Kraken, a feared and legendary tentacled beast. Swann has no intention of remaining in prison, however, and finds her way out to join the adventure. The plot is original, entertaining, and moves at a good pace.

Plot: 5 stars

All of the original characters from the first Pirates movie are back (with the original stars) along with a few interesting new ones. My favorites of the latter have got to be Tia Dalma (Naomie Harris), the voodoo priestess that helps our friends on their journey and the villain, Davey Jones. She could have worked on her accent a little more though. Depp, Bloom and Knightly are all wonderful in their parts. I have to say that I feel a twinge of jealousy over Kiera and her close proximity to the two leading men (not to mention her role in The Jacket), but I can’t honestly say that she’s a poor actress. Johnny Depp has always been one of my favorite actors, not just because he’s smokin’ hot, but also because he isn’t afraid to step out of Hollywood and take a few obscure roles here and there. In my humble opinion, he’s one of the most under-appreciated men in the business.

Acting: 5 stars

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest can boast to having loads of action. There isn’t a dull moment between the running, the fighting and the thrills. I would say that it is as well paced as the first film. Still, Yuen Woo Ping isn’t the action director, so I can’t possibly give a full star rating to anything less.

Action: 4 stars

This second film is as loaded, if not more so, with CGI as the first. All of the “bad guys” are varying abominations from the depths of the sea. One man has barnacles growing out of his face, while another has the head of a hermit crab. My favorite special effect is Davey Jones (Bill Nighy). His head is basically an octopus, but the undulating tentacles that make up his beard are mesmerizing. The Kraken is a well-created beast as well. Dead Man’s Chest manages to fill the screen with graphics that are obviously computer generated, and at the same time, fascinating and non-cheesy.

Visual: 4 ½ stars

The dialogue in this film is snappy and fun. Although not deep in levels of context, it’s entertaining. No favorite lines spring to mind, but it’s always fun to imitate pirate lingo.

Dialogue: 3 ½ stars

As soon as it’s feasible, I will be purchasing both the first and second films on DVD as well as a ticket to the next feature. I don’t claim to have heard any rumors regarding this movie’s follow-up, but the end is an obvious clue that we haven’t seen the end of the story.

Alternate viewing choice: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
IMDB site
Official site (you’ll need to download the latest version of Flash)
Rotten Tomatoes review

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