PBWise

OK, first allow me to echo the continued praise of Denzel Washington. Great performance as Hurricane Carter...intense, focused, can't take your eyes off him. A sure Oscar nomination. Unfortunately, there's not much to rave about here aside from Denzel. Every other actor, with the possible exception of Lezra, seems somewhat lost, as if they wandered into the wrong movie. Particularly, the strange trio of Canadians "determined" to free Carter, who blandly wander through the movie in search of a purpose. Although their amateur detective work (performed with all the passion of someone calling for dinner reservations) leads to Carter's release, you keep hoping they'll pack up and return to Canada. And why does that one guy sound British? Dan Hedaya, portraying the racist cop with a vendetta against Carter, delivers the most banal dialogue in recent memory. Considering he imprisons an innocent man for 20 years, this role deserves more than stereotypical "bad guy" talk. His role is too one-dimensional to inspire any significant hate or fear; he seems more like a pesky roach you want to crush beneath the heel of your shoe. The film also failed to take good advantage of Bob Dylan's fantastic song "Hurricane." Sure, it crops up here and there during the story, but at fairly arbitrary and anticlimactic moments. Don't get me wrong, "The Hurricane" packs quite a punch (no pun intended), and nobody should miss Denzel's performance. But it's a very good movie that, like Carter, missed its chance at greatness.

During much of 'In the Company of Men', I grimaced and fought the urge to look away. But I kept watching; the film, much like its central character Chad, tortures and punishes you but keeps luring you back for more.

Chad is a modern, corporate Iago: deceitful, manipulative, cruel, and charming. Watching him interact with Christine, and knowing his intentions, will make you squeamish. His motives? Anyone's guess. During the film's opening sequence, he sickly rationalizes his eventual deception of Christine by expressing a desire for vengeance against a former girlfriend. As the story unfolds, however, you realize (slowly at first, then with shocking clarity) that Chad simply enjoys making innocent victims suffer. I recommend this film with trepidation. Not pleasant viewing (it will surely dampen any social situation), but should leave you thinking. Probably best seen alone (or in the company of men).

Plenty of movies start of with a flash and then proceed to slack off and miss the target. Zero Effect presents a riveting opening scene and incredibly sustains that level of style and suspense throughout the film. An amazing accomplishment from such a young director (Jake Kasden).

Ben Stiller and Bill Pullman do quite well, but some more seasoned stars (picture Tom Cruise in the Stiller role and tell me that wouldn't work) could have elevated this very good film to greatness. I say this with the utmost respect; quite simply, Kasden's story deserves the best.

Really looking forward to future Kasden films. He exhibits great maturity, refraining from superfluous violence and patiently unfolding his masterful plot piece by piece. He also has a great ear for dialogue (for some reason, I particularly enjoyed Stiller's "just a bunch of guys" speech). Even his choices of music seem absurdly correct, as a Johnny Cash-esque song mentioning an "interventionist God" perfectly bookends the film's one (artfully chaste) sex scene. Fans of "Chinatown," "Blood Simple," or "The Usual Suspects," see Zero Effect and meet Jake Kasden.

While this movie's finest moments could be described, with slight exaggeration, as amusing, its weaker moments are dull, confusing, contrived, and arbitrary. Expected a comedy, so the slow and meandering beginning threw me off. The middle portion of the film succeeds somewhat, in that is derives a few chuckles and keeps you watching to see what happens. The ending, however, completely disappoints: distant (and hard to believe) familial connections emerge between major characters, and Glenn Close's fate seems overly tragic within the relaxed, droll environment of the movie. These elements just aren't handled well, and don't particularly add anything to the story, although you get the feeling they're supposed to. This brings me to the performances. Charles S. Dutton has a much larger role than he deserves...he plays a lifelong resident of a small southern town, but looks like he just walked out of a department store in Fresno and was handed a fishing rod. And he has very limited charisma here, too. As for Glenn Close, she's pretty good, but I'm simply tired of her disturbed, pretentious characters and her histrionics. The bright spots here are Julianne Moore and Chris O'Donnell, but unfortunately their roles are somewhat superfluous and not central to the plot. COOKIE'S FORTUNE is good for a few mild laughs, and the chance to see Lyle Lovett onscreen (however briefly), but little else.

TWO GIRLS AND A GUY doesn't waste any time making its points, and therefore results in an entertaining, if somewhat shallow, 90 minutes of sharp dialogue and intrigue. In the wrong hands, this film could have easily digressed into a tiresome succession of arguments or a psuedo-intellectual piece of pornography, but director James Toback handles the material simply and straightforwardly. The real star of the production, however, is Robert Downey Jr, who delivers a loose, inspired performance that captures the absurdity and hidden demons of his character. BLAKE ALLEN isn't likeable or even admirable, but he's got a certain charm. And you can't help but sympathize with him at the film's somber conclusion....

Considering this movie's content (2 women kill a man, then spend the rest of the story driving through the South on a spree of robbery, assault, boozing, and adultery), I enjoyed it considerably. Filled with great performances, right down to the smallest roles, and a lively script.

I liked the fact that the secret about Louise's past in Texas was never revealed. She was asked several times for the truth, but never relented, whereas in most movies I would expect some sort of teary confessional. Better to leave it up to the imagination. Plus, her unwillingness to even speak of her past made the pain of it more genuine. Good movie, I didn't particularly admire Thelma or Louise, but they were fun to follow around.

Wow, this movie is quite a piece of work. Viewers get an incredible sense of the world and the lifestyle of the characters: their workplace, their bar, their hunting trip, their small town, their wedding celebrations. I was impressed that the movie took the time to establish such a feeling -- at times the first hour is boring, but it helps deepen the eventual impact of the film. The russian roulette scene is, of course, one of the most gripping I've ever seen, Robert De Niro is at his best. Actually he's at his best throughout this movie -- after returning from the war, his quiet, subtle, understated performance is just perfect. At many points this film is difficult to watch -- in fact, I doubt I've seen a film containing so many awkward moments. But life is awkward, and "The Deer Hunter" feels like real life. And I love the version of "God Bless America" at the end.

This movie is absolutely charming. A trip to Italy enlivens marriages, and brings love and enlightenment to all. Filled with subtle humor, well-crafted dialogue, and beautiful scenery. On the surface, this may seem like a movie for women, but I had no problem appreciating it. See it!

A solid directing effort from Eastwood. Not a particularly original film, but professionally executed and certainly entertaining. Most importantly, my intelligence never felt insulted. A very satisfying film. Plus, the girl who dies in the car accident early on was really attractive, I wish we'd seen a little more of her.

An excellent depiction of the 1960's civil rights struggle. Tackles a very serious issue but remarkably never seems preachy. Gene Hackman is, as usual, perfect. And while his role of the vigilante FBI man occasionally gets a bit farfetched, you cheer for him all the way. A taut, absorbing, and worthwhile film.

A very charming, amusing, and pleasant movie. Starts off a bit slow, and the Irish accents take some time to get used to, but you settle into it and enjoy the droll humor. The motorcycling scene is particularly enjoyable.

This movie was a bit formulaic and melodramatic at points, but overall works pretty well. Direction, casting, and cinematography are all quite adept. The screenplay, though somewhat shallow, is genuine and sweet, and the film builds some artful and richly textured scenes around it. Paul Newman is charming as always; he and Kevin Costner make a surprisingly effective father/son team. Some great ocean scenery too.

An incoherent, pointless, and jumbled mess that before long becomes painful to watch. On several occasions I thought the end had arrived, only to find another frustrating plot complication. Some great actors (Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, Jon Voight, Billy Bob Thornton, etc) are wasted. I generally enjoy Oliver Stone films (JFK, Platoon, Nixon) but U-Turn is just excruciating.

It's worth the price of admission just to see Robert Duvall's tour de force performance. His preaching scenes are potent, realistic, and thoroughly entertaining. A well-deserved Oscar nomination. The movie itself is quite absorbing, directed with a very patient hand by Duvall. Very realistic, and has some similarity to "Sling Blade," but it is just not as powerful. The ending struck me as anticlimactic, and didn't make as strong an impact as it could have. Also, I thought the scene with Billy Bob Thornton and the tractor was just silly. See the movie, though, for it provides a great character study of a deeply religious but flawed man.

I am a very cynical filmgoer. I will routinely deride a film for any scene that strikes me as overly sentimental, melodramatic, or unrealistic. I do not cry often at movies. "Life is Beautiful," however, is so brilliantly executed that I was forced to set aside all of my prejudices regarding movies. Indeed, in a real concentration camp, Guido could never have commandeered the PA system and spoken to his wife. Yet I watched that scene, entirely aware it was unrealistic, with tears running down my face. Such is the power of "Life is Beautiful." I never thought a movie could make me laugh and cry at the same time, but that happened more than once here. Appreciate this film for what it is. If you want to see a harrowing, realistic depiction of the Holocaust, watch "Schindler's List." If you want a portrayal of the bond between a man and his family, the sacrifices people will make for their children, and the triumph of human spirit over adversity, see "Life is Beautiful." A lesser filmmaker could have severely botched this material, but Roberto Benigni pulls it off with aplomb. His film is magical, emotional, spiritual, and simply beautiful. Do not miss it.

The spooky yet amusing performance turned in by Jeremy Irons is worth watching all by itself. As an added bonus, the film is quite good as well. "Reversal of Fortune" thrives on its deft pacing, which keeps its relatively action-free plot interesting until the end. To the film's credit, the mystery is never fully solved; the viewer must ultimately decide the truth for himself. A treat for any thoughtful filmgoer.

One of my favorite films. I have seen Fargo many times, and enjoy each viewing more than the last. The downfall of the flawed Jerry Lundegaard could be the subject of a modern Shakespearean tragedy, albeit one steeped in black humor and outright quirkiness. William H. Macy's character is one of the most intriguing in recent cinema, and he plays the role perfectly. He is fascinating to watch. Frances McDormand, in an Oscar-winning performance, serves as a moral center in a film laden with copious violence and duplicitous, inept characters. Just pay attention to the film's end and you'll see what I mean. I refrain from mentioning too many details, lest I rob the film of its magic, but Fargo is a superbly unique film, a brilliant, dark, and oddly charming piece of work. See it ASAP!

This movie would have been greatly helped by more focus on its medical issues, a la "Awakenings." Instead we sit through a contrived melodrama, with two romantic leads who lack any hope of chemistry. None of the doctors seemed credible either. "At First Sight" constantly wavers between romance and medical drama, providing little satisfaction in either category.