Release Date: October 20, 2006

That Clint Eastwood, he’s like Stephen Spielberg – but with a gun.

Eastwood’s journey in Hollywood has taken him from a six-shooter toting, all star actor to a Director who always draws the quickest come Oscar time. Over the past few years he has unleashed such wonders as Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby and this years Blockbuster war memorial Flags of Our Fathers. He directs, produces and even composes the scores – and yet he still finds time for a round or two of golf. Is there anything this guy can’t do?

Well yes, there is something he can’t do. Just like Yahoo can never be Google, Clint Eastwood will never magically become Stephen Spielberg. And though his film, Flags of Our Fathers makes a noble attempt – and has Spielberg as a producer, it will never be Saving Private Ryan. But what is the sense in not trying – especially if you are Clint Eastwood.

Read the rest of this entry »

Release Date: October 20, 2006

The line between eccentric genius and delusion is often a thin one when it comes to filmmakers. Some films are very misunderstood when they are first released, then heralded later as great work – others are just misunderstood. For Sofia Coppola, my hope is that Marie Antoinette ends up being a showcase at the UCLA film school in 20 years because it redefined the biopic – otherwise it will die in obscurity.

The sad story of this film stems from its confused representation of the life of Marie Antoinette, the estranged and ill-fated Queen of France, whose vanity and extravagant taste earned her a seat in the guillotine later in life. Kirsten Dunst – the furthest thing from an Austrian duchess turned French Queen – was cast in the lead role along side Jason Schwartzman as Louis XVI. These casting decisions alone could be enough to condemn this movie, but it appeared that Coppola had a plan.

Read the rest of this entry »

Release Date: October 20, 2006

Director Christopher Nolan may not win an Oscar for The Prestige, but he should get a medal – or at least a cookie.

Not since Hitchcock has a director been so good at holding out their films’ greatest secrets until the very end. Nolan’s 2000 hit Memento is a perfect example, slamming the audience with a sharp reality after spinning a web of mystery – in reverse. But even with such a great effort in showmanship under his belt, it appears that Mr. Nolan has not yet even begun to show us the whole of his limitless talents.

His latest effort, the afore mentioned Prestige, brings with it a few familiar faces. Christian Bale, who Nolan so splendidly chose to be Batman, plays a magician whose tricks border along the line of being a bit too real – a fact that creates a rivalry with another great magician, played by Hugh Jackman. The two begin as friends and partners, but after an accident on stage causes the death of Jackman’s wife they are thrown into one of the most aggressive and turbulent rivalries ever put on film. The two men ultimately spend the rest of their time trying to figure out the secrets of one another, leaving no stone unturned and no trap door unopened.

Read the rest of this entry »

Release Date: October 6, 2006

Jack Nicholson. Martin Scorsese. Leonardo DiCaprio. Matt Damon. Mark Whalberg. Martin Sheen. All that is left is an opening credit voiceover from Michael Buffer: “Ding ding ding… Let’s get ready to rumble!”

But leave it to director Marty Scorsese, the man who invented the wheel when it comes to cop dramas, to bring together this mammoth cast and this awesome plot and still manage to steal the entire Oscar billowing film with a jaw dropping ending. He’s a tricky bastard, and that is what makes him so great.

The Departed is Scorsese’s return to his roots as the king of the crooked cops and robbers genre. It begins as what seems to be a classic good guy/bad guy story, but spends its 2.5 hour runtime blurring the line between right and wrong, much to the delight of the audience. On the side of good is Leo DiCaprio as Billy, a wannabe State Police Officer whose rugged past lands him a spot as an undercover man working for the calm mentor Captain Queenan (Martin Sheen) and a foul mouthed tough-guy sergeant (Mark Whalberg). Also seemingly on the side of good is Colin (Matt Damon), a highly driven promotion happy cop whose roots run just as deep in the dark alleys of South Boston, but are kept secret from the rest of the police force. His undercover assignment works in reverse as he finds himself in the hip pocket of a nasty crime boss.

Read the rest of this entry »

Release Date: September 19, 2006

Sick, twisted, unnerving – I have never seen anything like it.

It begins as if to seem so innocent, a film about boy meeting girl. But even from the start, you know something is up. And even though you know something is going to happen that may be a tad bit twisted, there is absolutely nothing that can prepare you for the way this film unravels.

That is how Hard Candy gets you; it draws you into a relationship between Hayley and Jeff, born of a man’s lust for teenage girls and bred by a scheming young lady’s intent to seek vengeance on behalf of his prey. Jeff (Patrick Wilson, Phantom of the Opera) lures in young Hayley (Ellen Page, X-Men: The Last Stand) with sweet chatting over the web and arranges a meet and greet. All seems well as they come together in public, allowing flirtation turn quickly into a trip back to Jeff’s home. There he proceeds to get her all liquored up, but not before things take a wild turn. It turns out that Hayley has drugged Jeff, turning predator into prey – her potential molester into her prisoner. It is then that Jeff realizes that this is no ordinary 14 year old girl, and her motives run deeper than just tying him down and making him beg.
Read the rest of this entry »

Release Date: September 26, 2006

Sometimes a film brings about a revelation that has been years in the works. Some films draw out emotions buried deep below years of life experience or remind us of a past love. And then there are those movies that bring back a childhood favorite – but they rarely teach us something new about said childhood favorite. Unless of course, we are talking about one of my childhood favorites, Curious George, and the aptly named big screen animated adaption that is sitting in my DVD player. Then not only do I get a childhood favorite right in my living room with a vibrant new look, but I get to learn something new – that something is that I was not aware that the man in the yellow hat had a name…

He does, in fact have a name – at least he does in this very cheerful and fun version – and he is voiced by Will Ferrell, whose natural ability to be completely oblivious and downright hilarious come crashing through in this film, even though it is just a voice over. Aside from that, the film itself is beautifully drawn, paying tribute to the Curious George with which we all fell in love and giving him a little bit of modern flare.
Read the rest of this entry »