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Don't get the creeps!

Posted by: José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
News date: Friday, August 29, 2003

Onle one movie opens this Labor Day Weekend, Jeepers Creepers 2, trying to take advantage of the strong opening its predecessor had during this exact same period. The thing is the movie is said to be kind of bad, with the strange creature going after a lot of students who got stranded in a bus in the middle of a highway. I say skip it and better catch up for other summer movies you never saw. And get ready for the fall season!

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Related: Jeepers Creepers 2 (2003)

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Review

The Rules of Attraction

The Rules of Attraction

Director: Roger Avary
Year: 2002
Rating
Reviewed by: José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
Review date: Thursday, August 28, 2003

The Rules of Attraction was given way too much publicity in its way to the big screen. It was expected to be revolutionary, a movie with no boundaries that would certainly push the buttons. Then again, when it was finally released, the public didn’t respond to as expected. It didn’t cause much of a stir either. So the movie did not shake the world, but it’s certainly worth a look.

Sean Bateman (James Van Der Beek) is in love with Lauren (Shannyn Sossamon), whom he thinks has been sending him very explicit love letters. On the other hand, Lauren is in love with Victor (Kip Pardue), who’s been traveling all over Europe lately. And then there’s Paul (Ian Somerhalder), who is in love with Sean and sometimes gets the wrong idea about him and what his feelings are.

What is essentially The Rules of Attraction? First and foremost it is the wild adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’s novel about today’s youth seen through the eyes of a bunch of college students who all seem to be living their lives at the extreme. The novel, and thus the movie, provides a very interesting point of view of what’s happening to society nowadays and the way it’s going down by the minute.

In the movie there’s not one character that does not get stoned at the first opportunity they get. There’s also a lot of empty sex, a lot of empty partying and a lot of emptiness in general. Every character is in love with someone who does not respond to them the way they’d want. Every character seems to come from a dysfunctional family as well. And even though the approach is over-the-top, it’s also thought provoking. The movie works as a satire of what’s becoming of a society that needs more and more because it’s never satisfied.

It’s sad actually, but also quite real. I was struck by how crude and intense these characters’ lives are regarding their love life. Take Paul, for example, a gay man who knows he’s hot stuff and who has to settle for less because he just can’t get what he wants… someone at his level. It’s heartbreaking to watch him get the wrong idea and then suffer from that. He doesn’t stay with his arms closed; he actually tries to get what he wants. But then he doesn’t seem to get that, and neither do anybody else in the movie. Isn’t that an awful lot like real life?

The movie is filled with strange characters that are played by actors who do a good job and take a 180-degree turn in their careers. James Van Der Beek may have the most shocking transformation. And you know what? He’s excellent. A strong supporting cast that includes Faye Dunaway, Kate Bosworth, Shannyn Sossamon, Jessica Biel, Kip Pardue, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Clifton Collins Jr. and Swoosie Kurtz all give the movie a lot of flavor. But it is Ian Somerhalder who I think steals the movie. He nails his character to the tee, and he’s actually the most human and real of all the people in the movie. Amazing work.

Worth mentioning is the astonishing Europe sequence involving Kip Pardue and a lot of great camera tricks that Avary employs to tell his story. Interesting to say the least.

“Since when does fucking somebody else mean that I’m not faithful to you?!”

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Review

Mulholland Dr.

Mulholland Dr.

Director: David Lynch
Year: 2001
Rating
Reviewed by: Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
Review date: Wednesday, August 27, 2003

A young and hopeful actress wannabe (Naomi Watts) arrives in Hollywood from her Canada hometown to try luck. While installing herself in her new apartment, she discovers another woman—a very disturbed amnesiac (Laura Elena Harring) who happened to be in a terrible car wreck and now constitutes a huge mystery in herself. So the young actress decides to uncover the mystery and find out what is going on with this woman, whom she happens to like very much.

In the meantime, a hip, young film director (Justin Theroux) lives one hell of a terrible day when mobsters intimidate him to cast a certain woman (Melissa George) in his new movie; when he refuses, he gets all kinds of threatens, from the apparent disappearance of all his money, to a visit by a quietly menacing (and quite weird) cowboy (Lafayette Montgomery). More storylines include a man (Patrick Fischler) who suffers from a repetitious nightmare, which eventually comes true, and an extremely clumsy killer (Mark Pellegrino) who can’t do his work right.

OK, so that’s the story. Oh, but wait! Once you think Naomi and you have uncovered the mystery, something happens: It all turns upside down! Nothing is what it seemed to be! Nothing has logic anymore…! Or does it? Is it possible that the weird turn of events is in fact the true logical explanation of everything? But how could that be?

This intricate David Lynch mystery is a fantastic film that works on many levels, despite the fact that it’s very hard to understand. Nevertheless, it does have an explanation… or many. I have a theory of my own, which makes prefect logic to me, but the great thing is it plays with your mind, and allows you to play with it… just like dreams do.

Originally a rejected TV pilot, later completed by Lynch, it works as a jigsaw puzzle and makes the result a unique piece. But unlike most jigsaw puzzle-like movies, this one is a pleasant ride from beginning to end, thrilling and pretty, and sexy, too!

In fact, the experience is so enthralling, that you’ll find yourself in need of a second watch. Well, I would think so, since I became addicted to the film, and have watched it many times, and have been fascinated every time.

Naomi Watts is electrifying in the lead, perfectly playing both an aspiring actress who’s too good to be true, and a failed one who just can’t work things out her way. Theroux is also good (and fun) as the confused director. Incidentally, Angelo Badalmenti, the regular composer of Lynch’s movie scores, appears as the mobster who drinks espresso.

“This is the girl.”

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Review

The Son's Room

The Son's Room

Director: Nanni Moretti
Year: 2002
Rating
Reviewed by: José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
Review date: Tuesday, August 26, 2003

When the Italian movie The Son's Room took the Palm d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival most people were surprised, not because the movie didn't deserve it, but because of its subject matter and general tone. The movie was essentially considered a weepy amidst a festival that is more known for its cynicism. The fact that it took the main prize says a lot about the movie and the level of greatness it reached despite belonging to an often downgraded genre.

Giovanni (Nanni Moretti) and Paola (Laura Morante) are a happily married couple whose life couldn't be better. They have two wonderful teenage kids, Irene (Jasmine Trinca) and Andrea (Giuseppe Sanfelice), and both have steady jobs and a good family life. Everything falls apart though, when Andrea dies in a scuba diving accident.

While I was watching The Son's Room I was reminded of another Italian masterpiece, Life is Beautiful (1997), not for its subject matter, but because of the way the movie is constructed. Writer/director/actor Moretti chooses to start his movie in a rather lightweight tone. The movie doesn't seem to be about anything in particular for a rather long stretch. Then again, it also never drags. We're simply shown how this amily lives their everyday life, nothing more, nothing less.

But then there's a tragedy, and the entire mood drastically changes into the exact opposite. I think I'm not exaggerating when I call this the most heart-breaking, honest and realistic depiction of what it is for a family to lose a son and a brother ever put on screen. Usually when an old person dies there's a feeling of sadness, but you know that they lived long enough to get the most out of life. But when it is a younger person who dies it is way more difficult to cope with the situation. There's the sense that this person still had a lot to go through, a lot to give to the world, and a lot more time to be with their loved ones.

Moretti doesn't oversentimentalize his story. True, Paola seems to cry in every scene she's in after Andrea dies, but which mother doesn't? What greater love is there in the world than that of a mother to his child? The fact that a mother should see any of their children die is simply wrong. It's wrong. And Paola's breakdown is essentially what a mother goes through in real life. I found myself crying with her every time she shed a tear. That's why this movie is such a gem, because it gets to you, it's real, it's there. It has characters you make a part of yourself, and you suffer along with them and witness how there lives start to fall apart.

Take Giovanni as well. He's a psychiatrist whose everyday job has him connecting with patients going through all sorts of problems. One day he finds himself in a situation where he no longer has the strength to make that kind of connection without detaching himself from his patients. He is now vulnerable and hurt, and that vulnerability not only hurts his job, but his family as well. Suddenly it is Irene who has to come between her parents, yet she's suffering just as they are from her brother's death.

I could go on forever saying how brilliant and touching this movie is. Nanni Moretti ertainly hit all the right notes. And as an actor he also does a terrific job. As a matter of act the four leads deliver perfect and amazing performances, work that can be called sublime. I don't have enough words to convey just how good they are and the deep levels each of them reach without a false moment.

Helping set the mood is Nicola Piovani's score and Moretti's gentle touch behind the camera. This is one from the heart.

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News

Oscar can't come soon enough!

Posted by: José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
News date: Tuesday, August 26, 2003

It’s that time of the year! Well, it isn’t, but I’m more than ready to start speculating about Oscar, aren’t you all? This year has so far been rather poor about movies that could end up with Oscar gold. It is only independent fare that has gotten all the kudos, so perhaps the Academy will have to look right there to dig up some worthy stuff. But hey, what am I saying? It’s still too early to say, right? I don’t know, but here’s how I think the panorama looks right now.

BEST PICTURE

Cold Mountain
Big Fish
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Love Actually

Serious possibilities:
21 Grams
Mystic River
Seabiscuit
Mona Lisa Smile
In America
House of Sand and Fog

Don’t count ’em out:
Finding Nemo
The Last Samurai
The Missing
The Alamo
Calendar Girls
Kill Bill Vol. 1

Comment: There’s the usual Miramax entry (Cold Mountain), the usual comedy (Love Actually), the usual Lord of the Rings entry (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King), the epic (Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World) and the touching drama (Big Fish). I guess that covers the usual Best Picture line-up, but a lot of movies could get in there that actually are a lot darker or a lot lighter. Also, a lot of epics this year. It will be an interesting battle all right.

BEST DIRECTOR

Anthony Minghella (Cold Mountain)
Tim Burton (Big Fish)
Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King)
Peter Weir (Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World)
Alejandro González Iñárritu (21 Grams)

Serious possibilities:
Richard Curtis (Love Actually)
Clint Eastwood (Mystic River)
Gary Ross (Seabiscuit)
Jim Sheridan (In America)
Edward Zwick (The Last Samurai)

Don’t count ’em out:
Vadir Perelman (House of Sand and Fog)
Mike Newell (Mona Lisa Smile)
Ron Howard (The Missing)
John Lee Hancock (The Alamo)
Quentin Tarantino (Kill Bill Vol. 1)
Joel Coen (Intolerable Cruelty)
Norman Jewison (The Statement)

Comment: Difficult to predict, albeit I cannot think of Minghella and Jackson not making the list. González Iñarritu may take the usual slot of the director whose picture is not nominated. And could Burton finally please the Academy? In any case, Curtis, Eastwood or Zwick could very well get in there.

BEST ACTOR

Tom Cruise (The Last Samurai)
Ben Kingsley (House of Sand and Fog)
Jude Law (Cold Mountain)
Bill Murray (Lost In Translation)
Sean Penn (21 Grams)

Serious possibilities:
Sean Penn (Mystic River)
Michael Caine (The Statement)
Benicio del Toro (21 Grams)

Don’t count ’em out:
Malcolm McDowell (The Company)
Ewan McGregor (Big Fish)
Anthony Hopkins (The Human Stain)
Russell Crowe (Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World)
Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl)
Robert Downey Jr. (The Singing Detective)
Paul Giamatti (American Splendor)

Comment: Cruise and Law have roles of a lifetime. Sean Penn has two movies he could be nominated for, so we’ll see what happens. Murray is said to be extraordinary and impossible to ignore. And then there’s Kingsley in a movie I think critics will embrace. Del Toro’s category seems uncertain, although Caine seems like a good bet yet in another political movie. Strong competition as always.

BEST ACTRESS

Jennifer Connelly (House of Sand and Fog)
Nicole Kidman (Cold Mountain)
Naomi Watts (21 Grams)
Cate Blanchett (The Missing)
Gwyneth Paltrow (Sylvia)

Serious possibilities:
Meg Ryan (In The Cut)
Julia Roberts (Mona Lisa Smile)
Samantha Morton (In America)

Don’t count ’em out:
Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation)
Evan Rachel Wood (Thirteen)
Jamie Lee Curtis (Freaky Friday)
Nicole Kidman (The Human Stain or Dogville)

Comment: What do we have here? Nicole will get her third nomination in a row. It could be Watts’ year though. Connelly could sneak in there as well. But will voters embrace Paltrow once again? Will she and Blanchett compete in another photo-finish race? Two of America’s sweethearts could get a chance, as Roberts and Ryan try to score in two very different movies. And watch out for those two teenagers trying to make their way to the top!

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Daniel Craig (Sylvia)
Albert Finney (Big Fish)
Tim Robbins (Mystic River)
Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King)
Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl)

Serious possibilities:
Benicio del Toro (21 Grams)
Chris Cooper (Seabiscuit)
Jeff Bridges (Seabiscuit)
Viggo Mortensen (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King)
Djimon Honsou (In America)
Paul Bettany (Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World)

Don’t count ’em out:
Kevin Bacon (Mystic River)
Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai)
Jason Isaacs (Peter Pan)
Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Cold Mountain)
William H. Macy (The Cooler)

Comment: There are a lot of ensembles this year, so it’s difficult to pinpoint who’ll get nominated from Mystic River or Love Actually, for instance. Then again, could Astin replace Ian McKellen in this category now that the saga is over? Could Johnny Depp finally get an Oscar nod? What about the guys from Seabiscuit? They will all need a lot of support to make it to the end.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Holly Hunter (Thirteen)
Renée Zellweger (Cold Mountain)
Jessica Lange (Big Fish)
Marcia Gay Harden (Mystic River)
Laura Linney (Mystic River)

Serious possibilities:
Nicole Kidman (The Human Stain)
Jennifer Jason Leigh (In The Cut)
Emma Thompson (Love Actually)

Don’t count ’em out:
Laura Linney (Love Actually)
Kirsten Dunst (Mona Lisa Smile)
Daryl Hannah (Casa de los Babys)
Patricia Clarckson (The Station Agent)
Hope Davis (American Splendor)

Comment: A rather weak line-up at this point, if I may say so. Zellweger and Hunter are shoe-ins, but apart from them anyone could get a shot.

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Review

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

Director: Jonathan Mostow
Year: 2003
Rating
Reviewed by: Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
Review date: Monday, August 25, 2003

In case any background is needed: Sarah Connor was a common young woman whose life drastically changed in 1984, when a cyborg from the future paid her a visit, determined to kill her to prevent the birth of her son John, who would lead the rebellion against the machines during their reign in the distant future. Sarah was saved by a young man sent from the future by John, who incidentally became John’s father (ah, those machines causing their own trouble!). John was born indeed and Sarah was believed crazy, but something proved those who called her mad wrong: A machine visited again, now to kill teenage John, and another machine was sent to save him. Back then, Sarah and John supposedly prevented the machine’s rise… or did they?

John Connor (Nick Stahl), now a young adult, has become a drifter, too scared that awful things might happen again, though it’s illogical since it’s been stopped. Logic is defied however, when once again a cyborg is sent back from the future (Arnold Schwarzenegger) to protect him from another (Kristanna Loken) whose mission is to destroy him. This time, however, both the protector and the destroyer focus on another person as well: A young woman (Claire Danes) who seems as innocent as can be. But what will she become? And why are these cyborgs here if they weren’t supposed to even be created in the first place?

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines is the smashing third part of The Terminator saga, having all the special effects and action sequences on its side to match its predecessors… but no heart whatsoever, and a perfectly weak story that disappoints since the previous two were so amazing. Even if better scripted, the story seems routine by now and it certainly doesn’t work as well as it used to. And though the bad guy (or girl, in this case) is supposed to be the worst the Connor family has ever encountered, this doesn’t seem to be the case… or is it that we don’t really care?

Anyway, the excitement is there, and the usual comedy does help, through amusing (if incredibly silly) references to puns and memorable quotes from the previous movies. The young leads do a good job, especially Danes, in a typical James Cameron-style “innocent-girl-becomes-heroine” role; I missed Linda Hamilton however, and I never quite believed Nick Stall was the same John Connor played by Edward Furlong in the previous installment.

Worthwhile only for fans of the saga or those who simply enjoy dumb action movies.

“She’ll be back.”

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Morris wrote at 9/30/2003 6:53:14 PM:

I think this movie is a disaster. Well, I'm not really entitled to, since I fell asleep must of its running time, but the thing is... I found it to be really boring, with occasional sparks of excitement, but that's it.

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News

Box Office Results

Posted by: José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
News date: Sunday, August 24, 2003

Freddy Vs. Jason slaughtered the competition for the second consecutive week while the three new releases performed rather embarrasingly. My Boss's Daughter barely made it to the top 10, while Marci X didn't!

Meanwhile Finding Nemo just became the highest-grossing animated movie ever and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over crossed the 100-million mark.

Check out the full list:

Freddy Vs. Jason - $13.4M, $61.4M total
S.W.A.T. - $10.8M, $88M total
Open Range - $9.3M, $29.2M total
Freaky Friday - $9.3M, $74.4M total
The Medallion - $8.2M, $8.2M total
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - $7.3M, $260.9M total
Seabiscuit - $6.3M, $93.1M total
Uptown Girls - $5.6M, $22.3M total
American Wedding - $5.5M, $90.6M total
My Boss's Daughter - $5M, $5M total

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News

Final Days of Summer

Posted by: José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
News date: Friday, August 22, 2003

There are three movies opening today and none of them are getting any love from critics. The end of summer is getting nearer and there are not many good options to see in wide release. Then again, here's a rundown of this weekend's offerings:

The Medallion - Jackie Chan stars in this movie about a medallion that gives him special powers. Of course, there's the bad guy who wants it for his evil plans. Sounds bad, and apparently it is!

My Boss's Daughter - Demi Moore's beau, Ashton Kutcher, stars in this romantic comedy alongside Tara Reid. The movie is said to be only sporadically funny, with nothing new to offer.

Marci x - And then there's this comedy set in the rap world starring Lisa Kudrow that sounds even worse! Damon Wayans is along for the ride as well. Not good, not good.

Don't let these movies hurt your feelings. Just go out and have fun!

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Review

Mrs. Dalloway

Mrs. Dalloway

Director: Marleen Gorris
Year: 1997
Rating
Reviewed by: José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
Review date: Thursday, August 21, 2003

My favorite movie last year was The Hours, a masterpiece if you ask me. So obviously after seeing it I felt enthralled to know more about Virginia Woolf and her classic novel Mrs. Dalloway. Since I’m too lazy to pick up such a book I opted for another option: watch the movie. And so I did. Fortunately I had heard that it was an excellent adaptation.

Clarissa Dalloway (Vanessa Redgrave) wakes up one sunny day ready to prepare everything for a party she’s giving that night. Throughout the morning she can’t stop thinking about her younger days (played by Natasha McElhone) when she had to choose between a safe marriage to Richard Dalloway (Robert Portal) or a wild adventurous one to Peter Walsh (Alan Cox). Her decision ultimately affected her whole life, and Peter’s (Michael Kitchen) sudden return makes her think and reflect upon what she is or could have been.

Mrs. Dalloway was directed by Marleen Gorris, of Antonia’s Line fame, who was able to bring the right tone to a story that isn’t about anything else but people’s feelings. The movie has an European feel to it that works really well. It’s also quite slowly-paced, but it is such a pleasure to watch that you can only thank Gorris for what she did.

Life itself can be quite complicated, and so Clarissa could tell you. The whole gamut of feelings she goes through in a single day are a fascinating reflection of what human nature is all about. The movie is about going back and reflect upon decisions that were made in the past that changed the course of everything. Were they the right decisions? Were they wrong? What could’ve happened if she had opted for a different life? Would she be the same person she is today?

The story is told in flashbacks that are simply delightful. We are able to witness how Clarissa was when she was younger and the times she lived in. Ultimately we return to the 20’s, when Clarissa is giving that famous party that spawns one of the best scenes in the movie when she greets her guests. That party serves as a true catharsis.

If there is one thing I would fault the movie for is the subplot involving Septimus (Rupert Graves), the man with the visions. I know it is central to the overall story, but somehow the movie loses punch when his scenes come in, especially because they apparently have nothing to do with all the other stuff in the movie.

Vanessa Redgrave is radiant as Mrs. Dalloway. She gives a unique performance full of dignity, of life, of joy, of sadness, of confliction. I don’t know if it is a coincidence or not, but I found the same traces in Nicole Kidman’s performance as Virginia Woolf in The Hours. Is it that Virginia wrote Mrs. Dalloway as an extension of herself? If that is so, both actresses were able to capture the true spirit of these women on the big screen admirably.

Natasha McElhone, on the other hand, is radiant as young Clarissa. And Alan Cox does a wonderful job as young Peter. I also enjoyed the character of Sally, Clarissa’s best friend, who shows some hints of lesbianism while younger and who has a wonderful couple of scenes as her older self.

Delightful!

“I’ll buy the flowers myself.”

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Review

Rear Window

Rear Window

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Year: 1954
Rating
Reviewed by: Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
Review date: Wednesday, August 20, 2003

A photographer with a broken leg (James Stewart), confined to a wheelchair, has nothing to do in his boring apartment but look out his rear window, into the lives of everyone else whose apartment is in sight. An adventurer, Jeff can’t get a worse idea of “fun” than looking at other people’s boring lives during a hot summer. He doesn’t even bother to think of the lack of ethics of breaking into other people’s privacy because it’s not even worth it. His society girlfriend Lisa (Grace Kelly), obsessed with marriage, doesn’t help either, and the visits by insurance nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter) are becoming monotonous.

But wait!, something happens all of a sudden… One of the neighbors (Raymond Burr), tired of her invalid wife’s mood changes, appears to have killed her. Maybe it’s all happening in Jeff’s mind, but there are signs that it might be true. Soon, Jeff convinces Lisa and Stella that a crime has happened right in front (or in back) of his apartment, and he feels responsible for uncovering it… In the meantime, in adjacent apartments, a songwriter (Ross Bagdasarian) struggles to compose a song, a ballerina (Georgine Darcy) practices her moves, a young couple of newlyweds (Rand Harper and Havis Davenport) moves in, a lonely woman (Judith Evelyn) gets suicidal ideas, and a little dog owned by a couple gets curious in the central patio…

Extraordinary Hitchcock comedy/thriller, based on a short story by Cornell Woolrich, creates a movie atmosphere never seen before, confining us to an apartment just like the main character, and making us see almost only what he sees, thus letting us go along with him as he gets suspicious, thrilled and terrified…

There are many aspects of this movie that should be noted for their originality. The Greenwich Village environment was created in a set, making up for many little universes, one in each apartment, that bring extra fascination to the plot. Part of the credibility of the procedure is owed to the nearly complete lack of a score: the environmental noise is the backdrop for everything, which sometimes contrasts the situation and works to perfection; on the other hand, the song that the songwriter composes is quite a fine accompaniment for both the situations and the atmosphere.

The cast ensemble is just perfect, with Stewart, Kelly and Ritter, three very different human beings, making an unlikely but effective team of sleuths. The evolution of Stewart and Kelly’s relationship is quite romantic, and the reason why it changes is amusing, something that is emphasized in the very last shot.

This movie is pure entertainment and a perfect example of a mixture of genres: there’s at least comedy, romance, thriller and murder mystery mixed, and it works!

“I'm not much on rear window ethics.”

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Morris wrote at 9/30/2003 6:46:02 PM:

Great review for a great movie!

I've always found "Rear Window" extremelly fascinating, because no matter how many times you've seen it you still feel amazed by how meticulously Hitchcock crafted it. Every apartment is a story and the vouyeristic side of me really kicks in when I watch this movie.

Also, I hadn't really noticed the use of music in the movie! Very interesting indeed!

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Review

The Magdalene Sisters

The Magdalene Sisters

Director: Peter Mullan
Year: 2002
Rating
Reviewed by: José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
Review date: Tuesday, August 19, 2003

When Peter Mullan’s The Magdalene Sisters won the highest honor at last year’s Venice Film Festival a huge amount of controversy aroused. The Vatican condemned the movie while movie critics hailed it as something of a masterstroke. I, as a Catholic, was conflicted about what to think, but of course there is nothing I could say without seeing the movie first. Finally I did and it was interesting.

The movie takes place in the 60’s, Ireland. We follow Margaret (Anne-Marie Duff), a girl who was just raped by her drunken cousin; Bernardette (Nora-Jane Noone), an orphan who loves to hang around with boys; and Rose (Dorothy Duffy), who just had a child out of marriage; as they are sent by their families with the Magdalene Sisters to pay for what they have “done”. The place, mostly serving as a public laundry, is run by Sister Bridget (Geraldine McEwan), who rules the place as if it were a dictatorship.

The Magdalene Sisters is a very difficult movie to watch. There’s something really wrong when you find yourself watching a movie about girls stuck in a prison of which they can’t mostly escape. It was all about praying and working in there. Girls couldn’t talk to each other, they couldn’t eat well, they just served the nuns’ purposes. The most horrific aspect lies in the fact that these places actually existed. And to think that the girls’ parents were also into it.

Peter Mullan’s movie is mostly about portraying how fundamentalist, organized religions can sometimes urge people to do things that are not actually sane. He isn’t saying that all Catholics are like that, but he’s certainly criticizing the level of absurdity some people can reach out of greediness, ambitiousness or ignorance. Girls went mad inside that place, yet the nuns’ never seemed to mind. One wonders who was the craziest of them all.

Then again, I do think the movie has a major flaw lying in the fact that there is no nun or priest in the movie that isn’t portrayed as a caricature. They’re all bad people, period. Sister Bridget is the epitome of evil, down to the crispy villain-y voice she uses. There is one scene that tries to present her as more than the devil incarnated, a scene where she confesses her love for movies, but it isn’t enough to try and understand why they all behaved that way and didn’t realize the wrongfulness of their actions. I do think the movie is extremely one-sided.

Part of the pleasure of watching The Magdalene Sisters lies in the performances. The three leading ladies are nothing short of breath-taking. They inhabit widely complicated and conflicted characters who act like real human beings and who change a lot during the course of the movie. And to think they were all beginners!

Another extraordinary performance comes from Eileen Walsh as Crispina. Absolutely riveting!

Director Peter Mullan certainly shows his anger towards the subject matter. It is a difficult theme to touch, yet he mostly succeeds. He manages to completely immerse us in the story he’s telling to the point of excruciation. I applaud him for that.

“You’re not a man of God!”

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Review

Halloween

Halloween

Director: John Carpenter
Year: 1978
Rating
Reviewed by: Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
Review date: Monday, August 18, 2003

A six year old kid called Michael Myers kills his older sister on Halloween night, for no apparent reason. Then he is taken to an asylum where he lives in reclusion the following years. However, as a grown man, he escapes, and his Doctor (Donald Pleasence) fears he’ll go back to his town to strike again. So he does, and terror ensues… Michael’s main target is a seemingly innocent young woman (Jamie Lee Curtis, great in her film debut) so he puts on a blank white mask and goes after the girl, killing people in his way, and not stopping at anything…

Ground-breaking horror movie cost very little and made lots of money, working out a simple premise with great mastery. Carpenter presents us the story in an eerie way, sometimes making the camera move as if it was the killer, showing us his point of view while letting us hear his breathing. At all times, Myers seems present and menacing, and even his indestructibility is made believable. There is absolutely no way to watch this film without being terrified, and it’s no wonder that it has been followed by countless sequels and even more imitators, none as good of course.

This film is also a cult classic, filled with fun references for movie buffs and spawning material for more references in further movies.

“It’s Halloween, everyone’s entitled to one good scare.”

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Morris wrote at 9/30/2003 6:43:24 PM:

I'm a big fan of intelligent and effective slaser films, yet somehow I am not really familiar with that kind of movies from the past. "Halloween" seems to be the perfect start if I wanna know them, and I can't wait to see. Jamie Lee must be great in it. I've always thought she's a fantastic actress!

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News

Box Office Results

Posted by: José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
News date: Sunday, August 17, 2003

The union of two franchises paid off at the box office this weekend as Freddy Vs. Jason slashed the competition and debuted with an excellent gross for this time of the year.

Meanwhile Kevin Costner and those naught girls had strong debuts, something that bodes well for all the stars in those movies. Costner, specially, had his best debut in more than four years!

Check out the complete list:

Freddy Vs. Jason - $36.4M, $36.4M total
S.W.A.T. - $18.6M, $70M total
Open Range - $14.1M, $14.1M total
Freaky Friday - $13.1M, $57.9M total
Uptown Girls - $11.2M, $11.2M total
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - $8.5M, $247.9M total
American Wedding - $8.1M, $80.6M total
Seabiscuit - $8.1M, $83M total
Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over - $5.2M, $96.8M total
Bad Boys II - $3.2M, $128.8M total

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Horror Weekend

Posted by: José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
News date: Friday, August 15, 2003

There are three new movies opening today and all of them offer something different, so check out what's all the fuzz about:

Freddy Vs. Jason - The anticipated movie in which Jason and Freddy finally challenge each other is here, and apparently it's only for the fans. Everyone else should stay away, since it is said to be no good.

Open Range - Kevin Costner gets his best reviews in years for this western starring Robert Duvall and himself. It is said to be lush and beautiful and very well-done. Good for Kevin!

Uptown Girls - Brittany Murphy and Dakota Fanning headline this comedy about a nanny and a precocious girl who have more in common than meets the eye. Then again, the movie is getting dreadful reviews.

So there they are. Go see a movie this weekend and have fun!!!

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Groucho wrote at 8/15/2003 7:30:08 PM:

Too bad for 'Uptown Girls'!! I love both girls, so I was hoping it would get good reviews...

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Review

Amadeus

Amadeus

Director: Milos Forman
Year: 1984
Rating
Reviewed by: José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
Review date: Thursday, August 14, 2003

I saw this movie for the first time about four or five years ago. I remember being enthralled by it, totally captivated. And now I had the chance to see the Director’s Cut edition, which is about 20 minutes longer but just as good. It is a grand epic that celebrates one of history’s best-known geniuses, a man who happened to create music that I simply adore.

Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham) was Emperor Joseph II’s (Jeffrey Jones) head composer and was heralded as a brilliant man in his craft until Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Tom Hulce) appeared and shattered every convention there used to be, captivating even those who didn’t know much about music. This little man also happened to be a wild party-boy, marrying young Contanze (Elizabeth Berridge) and drinking heavily while struggling to make any money at all. Salieri didn’t help matters, as he was so emerged in jealousy that he tried to destroy Mozart while taking the best out of him.

Amadeus is based on a play by Peter Shaffer which won notoriety for not being the typical biographical work, but instead going for a different edge in presenting Salieri as the narrator and seeing Mozart through his eyes.

It’s such a fascinating account, because Salieri loved Mozart’s music, but couldn’t stand the man and the way he overshadowed him. He thought of him as a genius, as the voice of God Himself, yet he took a role in his life that was certainly not that of a good man. He was a deeply religious person, and never understood why God would choose such a clown to carry on such splendorous music. It ultimately put Salieri in an asylum, where he swore that he killed the little man himself. But did he?

If there is one prevalent theme throughout Amadeus it is jealousy, yet the movie is not about that. The movie is about music. Music becomes a character here. Music plays the most important role. And it is such a pleasure to hear it, to see it conceived, performed, applauded. There’s a scene at the very end which has Mozart and Salieri joining forces to create a last immaculate piece. That very scene is one of my all-time favorites, for it contains the intricate message of the movie.

Amadeus hasn’t dated a bit, and it definitely is a rare specimen considering it was made in the 80s, the worst movie decade from my humble point of view. It is a classic and it’s no wonder it’s considered one of the best movies ever made. Milos Forman really did it.

Oscars went to almost everyone involved, yet Best Actor honors went to F. Murray Abraham for his powerful and complicated performance, a work so subtle it doesn’t even feel like acting. Tom Hulce is equally good as Mozart, delivering a funny yet sad performance that is as passionate as it could get. Kudos should also go to Jeffrey Jones, who created an indelible character, and to the rest of the cast, all note-perfect.

A stroke of genius indeed.

“Your... merciful God. He destroyed His own beloved, rather than let a mediocrity share in the smallest part of His glory.”

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Groucho wrote at 8/14/2003 10:46:59 AM:

I used to love this one, back in the days... I sure gotta check it out again :)

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Review

Gone With the Wind

Gone With the Wind

Director: Victor Fleming
Year: 1939
Rating
Reviewed by: Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
Review date: Wednesday, August 13, 2003

In the Old South, a young woman of high society, Scarlett O’Hara (Vivien Leigh) is determined to fight for the one thing that obsesses her: the love of Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard). When she finds out that he’s set to marry his cousin Melly (Olivia de Havilland), she gets even more infatuated. She’s so self-absorbed that she doesn’t even care for the Civil War, which is about to begin. Soon, however, war consumes everything on its way, including Tara (the land of the O’Haras) and the lives of many young idealists. Rhett Butler (Clark Gable), on the other hand, is a wealthy man who knows better than to hope that their side wins the war. He falls for Scarlett and fights for her, but the war, and Ashley, get in the way. Scarlett soon evolves from a careless spoiled child to the responsible—if still spoiled—head of family. Together with Melly, and her unconditionally loyal Mammy (Hattie McDaniel), Scarlett learns to fight for what she wants and in the end gets it all back except the “love of her life”… Good thing Rhett is still there for her… or is he?

Based on Margaret Mitchell’s novel, this incomparable Civil War saga set standards for melodramatic storytelling that are still followed today. The war is not put in second place to Scarlett’s story, in fact it could be said that the backdrop is the story of main interest, but another story is told throughout to maintain attention, even in four long running hours. Every detail is sumptuous in this David O. Selznick production, with impressive color cinematography by Ernest Haller, gorgeous music by Max Steiner, unbelievable production design by Lyle R. Wheeler and William Cameron Menzies, and suiting costumes by Walter Plunkett.

The performances are top-notch too, with Leigh a perfect Scarlett, Gable an irresistible Rhett, de Havilland a fragile Milly and McDaniel a scene-stealing Mammy. Thomas Mitchell also deserves mention as Scarlett’s father.

One of those classics you just can’t miss—if only to know what everyone’s talking about!

“As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again!”

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Morris wrote at 8/13/2003 4:20:30 PM:

Oh boy, I'm definitely seeing this one again very soon!!!

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Review

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Director: Gore Verbinski
Year: 2003
Rating
Reviewed by: José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
Review date: Tuesday, August 12, 2003

When I first heard a movie about the infamous Disney theme park ride was in the works I didn’t see how it could possibly be a good idea. After all pirate movies mostly suck. But then a lot of talent started to get involved, including Johnny Depp, whom I sometimes call by the name of God. Anyway, by the time the movie was released I was as excited as a young kid. I also had the chance to experience the ride two days before I saw the movie. It was definitely a blast.

Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), a common blacksmith, and Cpt. Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), a rather extravagant pirate, join forces to save Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) from the hands of Cpt. Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) and his crew. They actually intend to use her blood to break an ancient curse cast upon them in which they live as if they were dead, especially when the moonlight hits them. Elizabeth also happens to be Governor Swann’s (Jonathan Pryce) daughter, so the entire Royal Army is also after them.

By now I’ve seen this movie twice and I’m still marvelled at the way director Gore Verbinsky and producer Jerry Bruckheimer managed to make such a fine motion picture. It has all the elements of the perfect summer escapade: adventure, romance, action, suspense… and all of them merged in an intelligent way actually. For this movie is more clever than meets the eye.

Credit should be bestowed to an excellent script which manages to elevate such a simple-looking production into a complicated web of subplots that actually make sense and move the story forward into unexpected paths. I loved every bit of the story!

Another important asset to note is how visually impressive the movie is. From the photography to the sets to the costumes to the special effects, it’s all so well-done that every frame looks like a painting. Add in a wonderful score and you’ve got all the right ingredients.

The movie is also note-worthy because of its performances. It is Johnny Depp who steals the movie and delivers a weird, over-the-top, extremely funny and original performance. I happen to think this is award-worthy stuff. But I get the impression Depp couldn’t give a damn. Whatever happens, the truth is he is extraordinary. Rush, Bloom and Knightley also deliver great performances. And every supporting character is well-cast and performed.

It’s an interesting idea to mix ghosts and pirates, and fortunately it succeeds. This movie is fun. And it might also prove to be one of the best movies of the year.

“You best start believing in ghost stories Miss Turner. You’re in one!”

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chebas wrote at 1/15/2004 12:53:10 PM:

I am really glad this movie made your top ten. Personally I would've put it in a higher place, you know it is my kind of movie.

Anyhow I am content that the movie is getting the respect it deserves.

Just to say a few words, Mr. Depp is Amazing, however in hell he pulled that off in such an incredible manner is beyond my imagination, I am in awe. Also Mrs Knightley is ravishing and Mr. Rush gives a great performance not taking himself too serious wich I love. There is a scene right about the end where he goes "ARRRRR" which is FABULOUS.

Anyway, 4 stars for me.

Until Next Time.

Chebas

Groucho wrote at 1/19/2004 3:26:01 PM:

I enjoyed this movie pretty much. It's fun, and visually impressive. It seems overblown at all times, relying often more on visual effects than story (and adding the ghost storyline to a pirate story, which is risky, and to some of us, unnecesary), but there are enough moments of character exchange to make up for that. This is an entertaining movie, and that's what counts. And yes, Johnny Depp is extraordinary. After all his years of fine work, it's weird to see him recognized for such a commercial piece, but there's no discussion as to the excellence of his work here. Way to go, Johnny!

Pollescu wrote at 3/31/2004 8:37:42 PM:

I just saw this movie finally!!! I'm not much into pirate movies, but this one is different. I was enjoying the movie so much that I didn´t realize it it 2:20 minutes long!!!! I really recommend this movie because it's fun, entertaining, and you have a good time watching it.

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Review

The Producers

The Producers

Director: Mel Brooks
Year: 1968
Rating
Reviewed by: Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
Review date: Monday, August 11, 2003

Max Bialystock (Zero Mostel) is a has-been great Broadway producer who can’t manage to produce anything but flops nowadays. Turned down by his usual investors, he now romances “little old ladies” to get funds to keep working, but unfortunately, that is not enough to succeed. One day, a visit by accountant Leo Bloom (Gene Wilder) changes the outlook, when Bloom mentions that a flop could be more successful than a success, if an extraordinary excess of the play’s rights were sold, and the owner kept the money after the show has closed. Bialystock doesn’t think for a second it’s a bad idea, and manages to convince unhappy bureaucrat Bloom to go along with the fraud. Now they must find a show that will not only flop, but also offend, collapse and be shut down before the first night has finished, so they can take the money and run away to Rio. Where can they find such a show?

Outrageous, to say the least, this movie is lucky to have even been released… Mel Brooks chose the very touchy (especially back then) subject of Nazis for the show Bialystock and Bloom stage, and though the result is indeed a hilarious parody against Hitler (which, in turn, makes the story more interesting when the result of the show is not what they expected), a play called “Springtime for Hitler” is not easy to swallow, even if it’s a parody, and even if it only exists inside a movie. Luckily enough, the film was released after all, and became a classic. Whatever the point of view, it’s simply hilarious. The whole setup is hugely entertaining, with both Mostel and Wilder at the top of their games, one very intense, the other very anxious; Kenneth Mars plays the Neo-Nazi writer of the play, Christopher Hewett the gay director, Dick Shawn the hippie actor who plays Hitler, Lee Meredith the gorgeous assistant of the producers, who can’t work but can dance… They all do an awesome work.

The play, itself, is a riotous and unforgettable sequence.

Today a very successful Broadway play, this movie is very interesting to watch, and still scandalous in a way; it’s a very dangerous parody of theater and showbiz, and like the best parodies, it seems to ring truer now than it did back then.

The songs “Springtime for Hitler” and “Prisoners of Love” were composed by Brooks, who also wrote the movie.

“How could this happen? I was so careful. I picked the wrong play, the wrong director, the wrong cast. Where did I go right?”

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Morris wrote at 9/30/2003 6:41:11 PM:

Groucho and I saw the play in which this movie is based a couple of months ago and we were stunned at how good it is. I still haven't seen the movie, but love the story, the concept and the actors in it. Will have to give it a look soon!

Besides, Mel Brooks rules!

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News

Top 10 of 2003 First List

Posted by: a.k.a. Gon
News date: Monday, August 11, 2003

Just the other day, our own Morris said to me, “Isn’t it time to replace the top 10 of 2002 list with the top 10 of 2003 list?” He was quite right. The top 10 of the year can’t come on January, or February, but August is more than enough, as many worthwhile movies have been released by then. As you know, our top 10 is composed of the lists of our critics. Currently, Groucho and Morris submit their lists and that’s what forms the site’s top 10. Here, you will find that X2 got the top spot, so let’s hope it enjoys it, as it’s not an easy honor, and most movies lose the spot after a while. The extraordinary Pixar/Disney movie Finding Nemo and Danny Boyle’s scary 28 Days Later... follow closely. Seabiscuit debuts in a surprising 6th place, which pretty much means it won’t compete in our list in the end of the year.

I’ll be reporting any updates to our list, as our critics watch and choose new movies. So stay tuned, and remember that the list can always be found in our homepage.

Here’s the current top 10:

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Box Office Results

Posted by: José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
News date: Sunday, August 10, 2003

Colin Farrell is just unstoppable! His new movie, S.W.A.T., opened in first place this weekend with a very strong haul. But the amazing part is that this is Colin's fourth movie to open in first place this year, and his fifth-consecutive one if we count last year. Talk about a rising star, although... wait... I guess he's already a star of his own!

Meanwhile Disney's Freaky Friday had a strong second-place debut, while that other Disney movie, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl had the smallest decline and reached spot 35 on the all-time list of domestic grosses. Oh, and that other Disney movie, Finding Nemo, stayed in the top 10 in its first eleven weeks, something that hadn't been accomplished by any movie in three years!

I should also mention that Gigli dropped about 85% (the worst decline in movie history) and fell off the top 10. Ouch!

S.W.A.T. - $37M, $37M total
Freaky Friday - $22.3M, $33.2M total
American Wedding - $15.1M, $64.9M total
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - $13.1M, $232.8M total
Seabiscuit - $11.9M, $69.5M total
Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over - $10.1M, $87.4M total
Bad Boys II - $6M, $123M total
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life - $5.2M, $53.6M total
Finding Nemo - $2.5M, $324.8M total
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines - $1.6M, $145.9M total

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Groucho wrote at 8/10/2003 9:29:13 PM:

LOL @ "Gigli"!! :D

Morris wrote at 8/13/2003 1:00:51 AM:

Hehe...

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News

Freaky Friday indeed!

Posted by: José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
News date: Friday, August 08, 2003

Two movies are opening wide today and both could not be more different from each other. Wanna know more?

Freaky Friday - Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan star in this remake of a remake that was doomed to fail from the beginning, yet it has received surprisingly good reviews. I could go on a limb and say it is one of the best-reviewed movies of the summer! I gotta see that for myself, but I'm happy for everyone involved already.

S.W.A.T. - A new movie based on the 70s show of the same name hits theaters with an explosive cast headlined by Colin Farrell and Samuel L. Jackson in what is being regarded as a dumb, fast, explosive yet entertaining movie that is easily forgettable, but you'll have a good time with it.

Oh, and don't miss Le Divorce, which opens in limited release and has Kate Hudson and Naomi Watts. How could you possibly want more???

Have fun!

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Review

The Count of Monte Cristo

The Count of Monte Cristo

Director: Kevin Reynolds
Year: 2002
Rating
Reviewed by: José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
Review date: Thursday, August 07, 2003

When this movie was released most of my friends and relatives went to see it and they all loved it so much that they kept urging me to go see it myself. Then again, I did watch The Man In The Iron Mask and also The Musketeer (2001), two movies based on Alexandre Dumas’ novels that turned into unwatchable shit when given the big screen treatment. So I did not go. A year later the movie stumbled upon my way and I decided to give it a look. I’m glad I did, because it is excellent.

Edmond Dantes (Jim Caviezel) gets engaged to his beautiful girlfriend Mercedes (Dagmara Dominczyk), becomes a Captain and is incarcerated all in the same day. As it happens, one of his friends, Fernando Mondego (Guy Pearce) betrayed him and falsely accused him, starting a political turmoil that would put him behind the bars forever. Luckily, Edmond meets Abbe Faria (Richard Harris) while imprisoned and becomes good friends with him, lending to Abbe giving him a map where he would find a huge fortune with which he could live a good life. Then again, all Edmond wants is revenge…

To be honest, this version of The Count of Monte Cristo is definitely not as serious or epic or grand or high profile as it could be. It’s actually headlined by two actors who are not house-hold names and it was made to appeal to younger audiences. That’s a formula I’m not very keen of, but this specific movie is so well-made that I was shocked to realize I was actually falling in love with it.

Perhaps the main surprise is how impressive it is in the production design department. This movie looks and feels good! The sets, the costumes and the photography are all top-notch.

And the story speaks for itself. This is a movie about action and adventure. It is a movie about intrigue and betrayal. It is a movie that makes you care about the characters so you get into it and enjoy it from beginning to end. The pace is quite fast and there are enough action scenes to please some, and more quiet ones to please others. I found myself enormously entertained.

Minor quibble: how can it be that after 11 or more years most of the characters keep looking exactly the same as they looked when they were younger? How can they expect us to believe that gorgeous Dagmara Dominczyk can be the mother of young Henry Cavill? Not for a second!

Putting that aside, all the cast is really good, especially Richard Harris in one of his last roles.

Watch out for the Count of Monte Cristo’s splashing entrance! An eye-opener!

“If you ever loved me, don’t rob me of my hate. It’s all I have left.”

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Review

Higher Learning

Higher Learning

Director: John Singleton
Year: 1995
Rating
Reviewed by: a.k.a. Janet
Review date: Wednesday, August 06, 2003

Higher Learning is the 1995 edition in John Singleton’s series of issue films including critical and box-office hits such as Boyz N the Hood and Poetic Justice. The story, filmed on the campus of UCLA, revolves around Malik (Omar Epps), a college freshman on a partial track scholarship, Kristen (Kristy Swanson), a naïve freshman from Orange County’s suburbia, and Remy (Michael Rapaport), a lonely, isolated freshman from rural Idaho. The storyline links the three as they struggle to find a sense of direction and belonging during their first semester of college.

Malik is a whiner who comes to Columbus University thinking the world owes him because he’s a minority male, that he shouldn’t have to work too hard at anything, including running track. Kristen falls victim to a date rape after attending a freshman get-acquainted party at a frat house and finds comfort in the arms of Taryn (Jennifer Connelly) who happens to be a lesbian. Remy seeks desperately to be accepted by any group on campus, which leads to his unfortunate association with neo-Nazi skinheads, accepting their philosophy of racism. The solid supporting cast includes Laurence Fishburne as Mr. Phipps, Malik’s thoughtful political science professor and advisor; Tyra Banks as Déja, Malik’s girlfriend and peer mentor; Regina King as Monét, Kristen’s friend and roommate; and rapper Ice Cube as Fudge, the perennial student and leader of an informal campus black caucus.

Higher Learning has been criticized as being too one-dimensional, the characters too stereotypical. However, this reviewer believes that Singleton intended this film to deliver a powerful message about tolerance in all its different forms—sexual, racial, social, and intellectual. It does that quite effectively as it explores situations and relationships, building towards the film’s explosive final scenes. Although the film is aimed primarily at an audience of late teens and early 20s, this older reviewer was moved by its power. Higher Learning stands as good story in its own right. Moviegoers of any age can also appreciate it for its exciting soundtrack, artful direction, and the vivid color palette Singleton’s uses to weave the fabric of his story.

Read also: John Singleton's 'Higher Learning': Defining the Message, Offering a Solution.

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Review

Phone Booth

Phone Booth

Director: Joel Schumacher
Year: 2003
Rating
Reviewed by: José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
Review date: Tuesday, August 05, 2003

I have followed this project since its conception. I remember when the script was out there and different actors, such as Jim Carrey and Will Smith, as well as directors were at some point interested in doing the movie. Finally director Joel Schumacher and rising star Colin Farrell signed on to do it. They shot it quickly and had it ready about two years ago. But it stayed in the can until Fox was ready to release it. After so much time I was finally able to see it despite a bumpy road to do so myself. And it was worth it.

Stu (Colin Farrell) is an arrogant publicist who finds himself in a rather compromising position one shiny NY morning: he answers a public phone and is told by a voice at the other side that if he hangs up he dies. Suddenly things start to get out of control as Stu’s wife (Radha Mitchell) gets involved, as does an aspiring actress (Katie Holmes) he’s courting. It isn’t very long till the police, at Cpt. Ramey’s (Forest Whitaker) command, and the press arrive at the scene.

Phone Booth is a movie that doesn’t pretend to be anything else than a simple thriller. Simple because it’s only about a guy answering a telephone right? But as a matter of fact I think director Joel Schumacher didn’t have it easy when he was shooting his movie. He had to create a tense environment out of this single small location without ever boring the audience. He obviously uses as many camera angles as he can, but the story is what puts this out there as one of the most effective thrillers of the year.

To be honest, there are a couple of plot holes you may find when you think back about the movie after watching it. But the truth is that while it’s running you don’t think about them and just go with the flow. It’s a nail-biting experience, really.

Amidst all the chaos there is one thing worth singling out and that’s Colin Farrell’s performance, which stands as one of the best of his career. It’s a thriller, right? Well, it makes his performance the more impressive, because he’s just extraordinary till the last minute. A famous actor also appears at the end as the villain, although his creepy voice can be heard all the time. He does an excellent job despite his character’s motivations being rather silly. But the guy’s menacing and that’s what matters.

A tight, well-done thriller!

“Isn’t it funny – you hear a phone ring and it could be anybody. A ringing phone has to be answered, doesn’t it?”

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Review

The End of the Affair

The End of the Affair

Director: Neil Jordan
Year: 1999
Rating
Reviewed by: Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
Review date: Monday, August 04, 2003

Novelist Maurice Bendrix (Ralph Fiennes) engages in a love affair with Sarah Miles (Julianne Moore), the wife of Henry Miles (Stephen Rea). Suddenly, for no apparent reason, she ends the affair and leaves Maurice broken-hearted. When Maurice meets Henry again, and sees Sarah again, his obsession returns and he has her followed. Little by little, the reason why she broke up with him is clarified, and tragic events follow…

Evocative adaptation of Graham Greene’s (allegedly autobiographical) novel, complete with his trademark coldness of characters, beautifully brought to life by director Jordan, who gives as much importance to the surroundings as to the characters, and transmits emotion through every possible symbol, including colors, weather and light. The flashback narration makes the tale even more interesting.

Julianne Moore is exemplary as the suffering woman who must remain quiet, Fiennes and Rea good around her, and Ian Hart amusing as the detective who shadows her.

Too cold for some tastes, but tasteful nonetheless, this is a worthwhile experience.

“I had tempted fate, and fate had accepted.”

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Morris wrote at 9/30/2003 6:38:10 PM:

Indeed, if I had one thing to say about this movie which I didn't love is its coldness. But then I think that's what everyone involved was trying to achieve, so perhaps it's just that the story is not for me.

Then again, it seems like I didn't like the movie, but I loved it. Juliane Moore is astonishing in it. I'm glad she got the recognition she deserved when the movie opened. Her character's story is really strong and heart-breaking. I wouldn't know what I would do in her place, but she tried to stick to what she promised and that's just too much. Impressive story with beautiful settings!

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News

Box Office Results

Posted by: José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
News date: Sunday, August 03, 2003

The number one movie this weekend was American Wedding as expected, but the real story this weekend was Giglim which tanked with 3.8 million in its opening weekend, giving Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck the biggest flop of their careers.

Meanwhile Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl fell an amazingly small 17% decline, helping it pass the 200-million mark and on its way to become the second highest-grossing movie of the summer, leaving Neo and his pals behind. Good for it, I've seen the movie twice and it deserves its success.

Another very successful Disney movie is Finding Nemo, which just became the tenth highest-grossing movie ever in the United States.

American Wedding - $34.2M, $34.2M total
Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over - $20.1M, $69M total
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - $19.1M, $209.8M total
Seabiscuit - $17.4M, $49M total
Bad Boys II - $12.7M, $111.3M total
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life - $11.3M, $42.5M total
Finding Nemo - $3.8M, $319.9M total
Gigli - $3.8M, $3.8M total
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen - $3.1M, $58.8M total
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines - $2.9M, $142.7M total

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Couples of the moment?

Posted by: José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
News date: Friday, August 01, 2003

So what do we have this weekend? A movie about a marriage and a movie with a hot superstar couple. It's R-rated couples' weekend and we've got it all here:

Gigli - Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez star in this Martin Brest-directed comedy, drama, thriller, or whatever you want to call it, that is generating easily the worst reviews of the year. It'll be interesting to see how audiences react, but they have to get used to the idea of them together in the big screen, 'cause they still have another movie in the can waiting to be released by Miramax.

American Wedding - The third and final installment in the American Pie franchise is generating widely divergent responses. Some call it the best of the trio, some say it is only better than the second one and some say it is by far the worst. Whatever! Fact is the movie has the same kind of humor and situations of its predecessors. That means that if you liked them this one's for you. I'm there!

Meanwhile, given Keira Knightley's sudden rise to fame Bend It Like Beckham is expanding to over 900 theaters. Don't miss it. It's supposed to be really good!

Have fun!

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