Slave to the Media

2005 Oscar Predictions

2005-02-27T15:46:00.000-08:00

Here to forth are my predictions for the 2005 Academy Awards. As far as the major categories are concerned, the following could happen: Virginia Madsen could win out over Blanchett (and should - Blanchett was boring). Clive Owen could win out over Morgan Freeman, but that is very much less likely. And Aviator could score over Million Dollar Baby. Aviator SHOULD win but won't - the victim of the bad buzz. As far as lesser categories, Counting Crows from Shrek 2 could win for Best Song and hopefully Supersize Me will eke out victory over my prediction (Born Into Brothels). Both are good documentaries but Supersize Me really deserves it.

So those are my predictions. Commment as needed. Hopefully I'll go 24 for 24.

>> Picture
>> - "Million Dollar Baby"
>
>> Director
>> - Clint Eastwood, "Million Dollar Baby"
>>
>> Actor
>> - Jamie Foxx, "Ray"
>>
>> Actress
>> - Hilary Swank, "Million Dollar Baby"
>>
>> Supporting Actor
>> - Morgan Freeman, "Million Dollar Baby"
>
>> Supporting Actress
>> - Cate Blanchett, Aviator Original Screenplay
>> - Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry and Pierre Bismuth, "Eternal Sunshine of
>> the Spotless Mind"
>
>> Adapted Screenplay
>> - Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor, "Sideways"
>>
>> Foreign Film
>> - "The Sea Inside" (Spain)
>>
>> Animated Feature Film
>> - "The Incredibles"
>>
>> Animated Short Film
>> - "Ryan"
>>
>> Documentary Feature
>> - "Born Into Brothels"
>
>> Documentary Short Subject
>> - "The Children of Leningradsky"
>>
>> Live Action Short Film
>> - "Little Terrorist"
>>
>> Art Direction
>> - "The Aviator"
>>
>> Cinematography
>> - "The Aviator"
>>
>> Film Editing
>> - "The Aviator"
>>
>> Costume Design
>> - "The Aviator"
>>
>> Makeup
>> - "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events"
>
>> Original Score
>> - "Finding Neverland"
>>
>> Original Song
>> - "Believe" from "The Polar Express"
>
>>
>> Sound Editing
>> - "Spider-Man 2"
>>
>> Sound Mixing
>> - "The Aviator"
>>
>> Visual Effects
>> - "Spider-Man 2"

"Constantine" Is Stuck in Purgatory

2005-02-23T18:26:00.000-08:00

Don't get me wrong. "Constantine" is not a bad movie by any means. It's certainly not a good movie, but its not devoid of positive qualities. First and foremost, the visuals are quite striking and the formidable direction paints a gritty picture of the metaphyical underbelly of Los Angeles. I was quite taken with the first hour of the film, on the edge of my seat, watching Keanu Reeves redeem himself (his acting abilities, anyway) from the crappy "Matrix" sequels. "Project Greenlight" treasure Shia Le Beouf shines here as Constantine's sidekick, providing some well needed humor and spark in his every scene. A shame he didn't get more screen time here. I'm telling you now, that kid is going to be HUGE. As far as additional positives, I did welcome the humor of the movie, especially after the humorless Matrix sequels. I actually laughed a few times.

After the first hour, the movie just drags. The plot does NOT fall apart as some may contend with, the movie just slows dramatically and I grew bored. As a character, Constatine is kick ass. But as a movie, it's tough to sit still under the weight of Constantine's boring investigation. I have to admit I was very disappointed by the explanation of the plot, especially when the red herring villian is a homeless Mexican peasant who happened to get lucky, and the big bad villian is entirely predictable (at least to audiences that come to expect plot twists). I would have liked to have seen more of Gavin Rossdale, who is billed in the trailers as the main villain (he is certainly not). In fact, it annoyed me that for as smart as Constantine is, he never seems to put the coicidence of seeing an enemy early in the movie together with the fact that the enemy could be involved with the nefarious plot. Rachel Weisz, on the other hand, is very hot.

My review: two and a half stars. Three because of Shia La Beouf.

2005 Oscar Nomination Predictions

2005-01-24T19:04:00.000-08:00

It's that time again. Ahead of Tuesday's announcements for Academy Award nominations, here are my predictions!

2005 Oscar Predictions:

Best Picture:
Sideways
Ray
The Aviator
Finding Neverland
Million Dollar Baby

Best Actor:
Johnny Depp - Finding Neverland
Don Cheadle - Hotel Rwanda
Paul Giamatti - Sideways
Jamie Foxx - Ray
Leonardo DiCaprio - The Aviator

Best Actress:
Imedla Staughton - Vera Drake
Hilary Swank - Million Dollar Baby
Catalina Sandrino Morengo - Maria State of Grace
Annette Bening - Being Julia
Kate Winslet - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Best Supporting Actor:
Clive Owen - Closer
Thomas Hayden Church - Sideways
Jamie Foxx - Collateral
Morgan Freeman - Million Dollar Baby
Freddie Highmore - Finding Neverland

Best Supporting Actress:
Natalie Portman - Closer
Kate Winslet - Finding Neverland
Virgina Madsen - Sideways
Cate Blanchett - The Aviator
Laura Linney - Kinsey

Best Director:
Clint Eastwood - million dollar baby
Martin Scorcese - aviator
Alexander Payne - sideways
Mark Forster - finding neverland
Taylor Hackford - ray

Additional Comments:

I predict these will be the exact nominations... The only shift that could happen... The Incredibles could substitute for Ray for Best Picture though thats highly doubtful. Liam Neeson could sub for Paul Giamati in Best Actor category. And Sophie Okonedo for Hotel Rwanda could sub for Kate Winslet in the Supporting Actress Category. Or Peter Sarsgaard in for Freddie Highmore perhaps?

Top Films of 2004

2005-01-08T22:18:00.000-08:00

As my loyal friends and fans know, every year I pass judgment on the ten best films. It's a hard list to make; there are just so many good films out there. This year is just like any other: plenty of formidable choices, all itching to crack my top ten list. I based my picks this year on emotional resonancy and poignancy. Which films stayed with me after I left the theater? Which movies had an impact upon my heart and soul? Which films did I debate with friends? And which films showcased the crafts of writing, acting, and directing? These lists are works in progress. As I see films over and over again, they jockey and change position, they complement other movies, or they change my opinion of my tastes. In any event, it's just my humble opinion.

My picks for Top Ten Films of 2004.. Please argue away.

1) Garden State
2) Hotel Rwanda
3) The Incredibles
4) A Love Song For Bobby Long
5) Shaun of the Dead
6) Closer
7) Million Dollar Baby
8) Life Aquatic
9) The Aviator
10) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Runners Up to Round out the Top 20: Imaginary Heroes, Sideways, The Clearing, Shall We Dance?, Supersize Me, Mean Girls, Napolean Dynamite, Saved!, We Don't Live Here Anymore, Before Sunset.

The Melody is Sweet in "A Love Song for Bobby Long"

2004-12-29T21:01:00.000-08:00

Sometimes people don't give the small, subtle movies enough credit. Instead of talking cats mixing it up with Jennifer Love Hewitt, obsessed nerds embarking upon a globe-spanning treasure hunt, and green ogres making off with princesses, its the small movies that can truly showcase a deserving actor's amazing performance, provide story fodder from the minor banalities of life, and enlighten the soul of the viewer. In a break from the bloated cinema of the 90's and early new millenium, 2004 has proven to open the eyes for American audiences and allowed film to breathe, and to blossom. "A Love Song for Bobby Long," starring indie-It girl Scarlett Johansen and rags-to-riches-to-rags-to-riches-again actor John Travolta, is one such well-done "small" movie.

Travolta plays the titular character, Bobby Long, a drunken English professor who sits on the front porch of a dilapidated house all day, entertaining his unmotivated neighbors with acoustic guitar. Despite veering back into the gray-haired Clinton-esque southern drawl from playing the President in "Primary Colors," Travolta is once again at the top of his acting game. Bobby shares his home for his protege, Lawson Pines (Gabriel Macht), who is attempting to write a novel based on Bobby's life. Their utopia - which consists of trying to outdo each other by quoting famous lines from authors - is shattered upon the arrival of Persy (Johansen), the estranged teenage daughter of a local country singer who owned the house Bobby and Lawson live in before her death at the start of the movie. Persy expects the house to be empty, but is coaxed to believe that her mother left the house to the three of them to share; she decides to move in, and in effect, turns their lives upside down.

Like many feel good movies, Persy influences the men to change their lives and better themselves and they in turn do the same for her, inspiring her to follow her dreams. And of course, the twist at the end of the movie is pretty damn predictable, followed by some damning melodrama (notably, the musical graduation scene). But for a first-time director, the achievement is in the story. I don't care if you find it bogged down and deep-fried in cliches. The movie is a heartwarming tale of friendship and family, rhythm and redemption, and the sweet sensations of good bluegrass and country music (the soundtrack by the way, recorded by Grayson Capps and Travolta, is equally haunting and stunning). Scarlett Johansen proves yet again to be more than a capable actress; she is also downright gorgeous in her Southern sun dresses. Gabriel Macht, who you may recognize from forgettable action movies like "The Recruit" is a surprising find; he has the potential to be the next Big Thing. He steals the film from Travolta and women will definitely swoon at his smile.

For me, the real winner is the ability to connect with the emotions of the characters. If I can't feel what they are feeling, the impact of the movie is lost on me. "A Love Song for Bobby Long" was the antithesis of that; the film resonated on me long after I left the dark theater. I felt for the characters. I felt for a moment that I was a part of their strange yet heartwarming dysfunctional family. I thought I was part of the illusion on screen. For me, that is the key in rating whether a movie is good or not. This subtle, small film has its flaws - and many at that - but it's also one of my favorites of 2004.

My grade: four out of four stars.

"Hotel Rwanda" Is One of the Year's Best Movies

2004-12-26T21:19:00.000-08:00

I'm going to keep this one short and simple. "Hotel Rwanda" is one of the year's best movies. I hesitated to label this as the number one movie of the year for me, if only because its not one of the movies that I can really watch again and again. Perhaps I will be proved wrong when I view this wonderful piece of cinema a second time. Right now "Garden State" holds number 1 in my book (look for the actual list in the coming week), but alas, we aren't talking about "Garden State" here.

"Hotel Rwanda" is a stunning epic, the story of a brash, hotel manager of a four star hotel in early 90's Rwanda. Played by Don Cheadle in a career-making performance (please if there is justice, Cheadle will at least get an Oscar nomination), manager Paul is a local hero, a con-man able to provide high-grade scotch for generals and amenities for the hotel residents. He has friends in high places, a capitalist outlook on society, and a family that he would do anything to protect. When the civil war hits Rwanda, and the rest of the world turns its back on the genocide, Paul decides to help humanity, and open his heart - and the hotel doors - to refugees. His people become his family.

I can't put into words how good this movie is. Every person in the world should see this movie, if only to be further educated on the plight of African nations and the atrocities that happen in this world when we turn a blind eye. It makes me question (once again) our government's policies and those that we do decide to help. If we are indeed a police force, we should enforce the right to democracy everywhere and assist those who need saving. Civil war and genocide still occur in many regions of the world. While our mission is to root out the terrorists who have the ability to strike on our soil, we should also serve and protect those in jeopardy on their own soil, whether from dictators or mongering warlords or those who foster prejudice and hatred.

This is an Important movie, and a great one at that. And "Hotel Rwanda" is more than a movie. It had an impact on my heart and my soul, and I promise you, it will have a similar impact on yours. I urge you to see this amazing film.

My grade: four out of four stars.

"Assassination of Richard Nixon" Kills Penn's Chances at Another Oscar Go-Around

2004-12-25T19:24:00.000-08:00

When I saw "The Assassination of Richard Nixon" two months ago at the AFI Film Festival in Los Angeles, I remember walking out of the theater for the most part enjoying the movie. Reflecting on the film now, it's actually hard to remember some of the crucial details and scenes that allowed that opinion to form. And I suppose that is the inherent problem of the movie; while Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, and Don Cheadle once again offer great performances, the film itself is forgettable, just another blip on the pop culture radar. If the film were so lucky, it could be a possibly Jeopardy clue one day, but its lackluster limited release spells doubts for its future prospects. Neither this movie nor Sean Penn will get any Academy recognition. The competition is simply too fierce this year.

In this true story, Sean Penn stars as furniture salesman Sam Bicke adjusting to his new life, separated from his wife and kids, and still smarting from a family smackdown with his Hasidic brother, the owner of a tire franchise. As the film progresses, you can see the mental fibers within Penn's character's brain unraveling, his very hinges exploding and popping off. Bicke refuses to tell lies whether its selling tires or furniture, or dealing with his estranged wife, and takes it personally everytime he is urged to do so.

The movie is in itself a well-thought out and put together case-study about the man who got it into his head to kill President Nixon, but was intercepted while flying to Washington to carry out his insane crime. This isn't giving the movie away; we know that Nixon was never assassinated. As a result, while we watch Bicke disintegrate, a la Travis Bickle in "Taxi Driver," we also wait for him to screw up. It's just too predictable.

Don't get me wrong. It's actually a good, well-intentioned movie. Its a profile of a mediocre man on the fringes of society, cut off by those who love him, and forced to turn into a monster so his voice can be heard. It's quite fascinating, in fact. But given the caliber of pictures this year, it fails to slay the competition and falls to the bottom of an exceptionally good pack.

My grade: two and a half out of four stars.

Another American Beauty Nightmare in "Imaginary Heroes"

2004-12-25T10:26:00.000-08:00

With Oscar season - and Christmas vacation - in full swing, it's hard to cram all those movies at the multiplex into your schedule. Without fail, the art house divisions of all those major multinational media conglomerates issue their chances for Oscar glory, and like any horse race - some movies never get out of the starting gate. One such movie is "Imaginary Heroes," a suburban dystopia nightmare starring Sigourney Weaver, Emile Hirsch, and Jeff Daniels and the directorial debut by Dan Harris, the writer of X-Men 2.

When the fall schedules were first announced, this movie had buzz for the performances by Daniels and Weaver. Unfortunately, while both live up to the early attention, this movie will be swallowed whole by the marketing machines of the major studios promoting "Sideways," "The Aviator," "Hotel Rwanda," and other buzz-worthy indies like "The Woodsman" for audience dollars and Oscar votes. And it's really quite a shame.

While "Heroes" lacks the emotional panache of "American Beauty," which by the way was my favorite movie of 1999, it strikes similiar terrain of messed-up families of suburbia, people who have everything but feel nothing until tragedy strikes. The movie begins as the family's popular and Olympian-dreamer swimmer son (Kip Pardue) kills himself, distraught from the increasing pressures as The Good Son. The film is told through the eyes of his less popular, sexually awkward brother, played with resonance by Emile Hirsch, as well as through the heart of their chain-smoking mom-from-hell (Weaver). Shockingly, these two characters share a bond unlike most other son-mother relationships currently in the movies, and I felt it endearing to watch Hirsch's character cut school after a fire drill and spend the day sitting with his mom on a porch swing. The two tackle an array of typically melodramatic film fixtures: suicide, paternity questions, cancer, sexual identity, drug use, adultery, depression, and jail. Despite the fact that these heavy handed topics are all rolled up into one movie - and a directorial debut at that - it somehow works. The melodrama actually feels like The Truth and what empty suburban life - despite the affluence of the homes and cars - can actually feel like. It's also nice to see Dawson's Creek Michelle Williams acting again (as Emily Hirsch's wise, older sister).

A lot of critics have given fault to the movie because it's pretty damn depressing. And it is... But in a year of cold and calculating films, built on budgets and revenue-projections, this is a film that tugs at the heartstrings and gets you to feel "something" for its sad-sack characters, like Bridges' in-pain father, who ditches his corporate job without telling his family to sit drunk on a park bench. Some may label it manipulative, but I give it credit. I'd much rather cry and stir in my seat than be bamboozled to feel intellectually malignant by the condescending and emotionally void Fox Searchlight feature "I Heart Huckabees."

Sony Pictures Classic, which distributes this movie, has decided to cut it loose in two theaters in Los Angeles and New York for a week for Oscar consideration, before pulling the movie until a wider release in February. A shame the film doesn't have a shot at raking in any Awards this year; too much competition from the other players should have made Sony push it to 2005. In any event, I urge audiences out there to watch this movie in February, especially if you want to feel something after a long, dark winter.

My grade: Three stars out of four.

I'd Like to "Meet the Fockers"

2004-12-22T19:07:00.000-08:00

Let me get something off my chest... I HATED "Meet the Parents," the Ben Stiller/Robert DeNiro "comedy." And I'm not alone. Those of us in the minority all agree... It's the frustration of things going wrong, zany complications arising, and hilarity ensuing that all make us on edge during the movie. All of us can relate to meeting a significant other's parents for the first time and the nervous, stressful energy that accompanies that visit. But this movie didn't channel that. I felt nervous watching Ben Stiller make a fool of himself on the big screen, coupled with DeNiro tacking comedy. Both made lots of money so that eased that for me a bit.

However, I loved its sequel, "Meet The Fockers." In this one, Ben Stiller's Greg aka Gaylord Focker takes a road trip in a super-sized RV with his future family of in-laws, including the oh-so-cute future nephew. They are in Florida to meet Greg's parents, played hilariously by Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand, channeling true West Palm Beach jew cred (though hopefully not the kind of the 2000 punch-card ballot snafu). While of course zany complications arise, hilarity actually DOES ensue, mainly because the situations are more mere misunderstandings, rather than the result of blatant tomfoolery and clutziness. This movie is ACTUALLY funny. DeNiro really pulls off a comic tour de force by playing it straight while Dustin Hoffman has all the fun, as the laid-back, hippie Jew dad. Barbra has some great lines, and you can actually feel the two of them having amazing chemistry. Unlike Teri Polo with her Waspy parents, you can actually sense that Ben Stiller could be their son. The movie also features an insanely cute baby, who practically steals the show with his chanting of "asshole" and the signs he makes when he is hungry (or wants a woman's breast).

Of course DeNiro's character employs another method of CIA interrogation technique to get the truth out of Greg, but we buy this one this time, because DeNiro is really just a wayward oldie, too conservative to change with the times, and still pissed of his retirement from the CIA. Dustin and Streisand provide well-needed medication for the franchise and really lift the spirits, and the life into this one.

My grade: three and a half stars out of four.

"Million Dollar Baby" Born Rich

2004-12-17T16:56:00.000-08:00

I saw the new Clint Eastwood/Hilary Swank movie, "Million Dollar Baby," the other day and I must admit, Eastwood is a damn good director. Despite some missteps in the past few years with "True Crimes" (come on, journalist out to solve the crime before the death-row immate gets executed), "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," and "Blood Work" (of course Jeff Bridges as trusted best friend is the killer - he's the biggest co-star in this cliche chop-suey!), age seems to have done well for Eastwood. Last year's "Mystic River" was a stunning epic filled to the brim with amazing performances and stark cinematography. This time around, Eastwood has crafted a more sublte, "small" movie, but with equal panache and poignancy.

Eastwood plays gruff cut-man Frankie Dunn who operates a run-down boxing gym. Because of demons in his past, Frankie has mostly turned his back on reality and has imposed an inane sense of protection around his friends and the boxers he trains. When the tough-as-nails Maggie (played convincingly by Hillary Swank) wanders into Eastwood's gym, Frankie is forced to open his heart again and learn how to take risks.

Hilary Swank once again puts in another Oscar-worthy performance, and in a year where women's roles have taken a nose-dive, she could walk away with more Oscar gold. Even Morgan Freeman as a former boxer turned custodian finally switches gears to a grittier role, though he still is the moral center (and narrator of the movie). Even so, I'd much rather see him here than in playing wise black men roles to the white heroines like Ashley Judd and... Ashley Judd.

"Million Dollar Baby" is also surprising. Before the movie, I thought it to be the typical rags-to-riches sports story of the underdog who rises to the top of her game, but the movie veers into an entirely different and provocative territory (a very dark turn), one with actual real-life stakes and redemption (though a typical Eastwood theme) beyond the sports arena. When you think you know where the movie is heading, don't worry, you really don't.

The movie is truly packed with authentic feelings and intensity. The chemistry between Eastwood and Swank is real, you can feel their electricity (whether its of the father/daughter vein or romantic, we never really know, it doesn't matter) reaching out beyond the screen.

While not as sweeping as "Mystic River," "Million Dollar Baby" is worth a gander. It's a well-crafter suspenseful tear-jerker that packs quite an emotional wallup and a left-hook that will leave every man in tears. Lets hope this one doesn't go down for the count.

My grade: three and a half stars.

"The Aviator" Flies Sky High

2004-12-15T18:25:00.000-08:00

I saw The Aviator last at a Producer's Guild Of America screening at a crappy theater on the corner of Fairfax and La Brea. Even with a poor sound system and a three hour running length as liabilities, The Aviator soared in a year with mostly dreck like "Envy," "Soul Plane," and "Troy." Leonardo DiCapri, despite the fact that I can't seem to forget his days as an orphan living in a classroom on "Growing Pains," gives a painstakingly amazing performance as Howard Hughes, the reclusive, obsessive-compulsive stricken billionaire with dreams of taking on Pan Am in the sky. It's his career best, and probably one of the best performances of the year. It's shameful that his performance will most likely go overlooked at the Academy Awards, but hey, it's a tough, competitive year for leading men (can't say the same for women, however).

The movie flies best when Howard is either displaying bravado on the set of his films (any film studies major will appreciate the immense recreation of "Hell's Angeles [shout out to Bob Smith] and any hot-blooded male will get a kick out of Howard defending the use of cleavage to the MPAA) or at his creepiest. When bearded-like-Jeff-Bridges Howard locks himself in his screening room, watching dailies of one of his movies, pissing in milk bottles and meticuliously arranging them on the floor, you want to shiver in the sight of Leo's amazing acting abilities. Or maybe just make fun of people stricken with mental handicaps. Either way, its a great movie and one of the best of the year.

My grade: 4 out of 4 stars.

"Lemony Snicket" Really Is A Series of Unfortunate Events

2004-12-13T19:18:00.000-08:00

The book series "A Series of Unfortunate Events" by Lemony Snicket are amazing (and a formidable rival to the Harry Potter franchise). Unlike other crap out there for kids, these can be liked by adults as well, and are dark, clever tomes about the nightmares that menace children. They are smart, educational, and offer clues to an ever-arching mystery that will - hopefully - be revealed in the final book.

The movie, however, while a noble attempt, falls flat at attempting to translate the story to the big screen. With the exception of the narration by Jude Law as Snicket, we lose most of the sardonic, wittiness that fills the books. Unlike the first two Harry Potter movies, this is more loosley adapted from three books and Jim Carrey's Count Olaf is more cartoon than menancing villian. There are some scary moments that make you jump out of the seat, but the movie itself seem to be ordinarily a series of events that the characters come in and out of. Despite the mystery still being present, the plot is weak and unchallenging. I found the movie, frankly, to be boring. While the visual effects are impressive, I found myself yawning and checking my watch (which is a very bad sign for me). I thought the acting was very good, typefied by the always-amazing Meryl Streep, the children are diamonds in the rough, and the hamming-it-up, though when does he not Jim Carrey, capping off a stellar year after "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind). On a side note, its worth noting that it was a pretty good year for In Living Color alumni. The Wayans Brothers movie "White Chicks" made about $100 Million, Carrey has garnered critical acclaim for "Eternal Sunshine," and Jamie Foxx received 3 (a record) Golden Globe nominations and will possibly win an Oscar.

Anyway, the movie is worth seeing if you are a fan of special effects and the visual tableau of a movie. But fans of the books will ultimately be disappointed.

My grade: two stars out of four.

"Beyond the Sea" Sinks Under Its Own Bloated Pretension

2004-12-12T11:10:00.000-08:00

Beyond the Sea, Kevin Spacey's Bobby Darin biopic, could have been a good movie if not for the strange post-modern twist at its core. As the movie begins, Kevin Spacey is on stage believably singing "Mack The Knife," until he notices a young boy watching and silences the orchestra. Bobby's manager Steve, played by the always boisterous John Goodman, enters and is pissed, clamoring about cost delays. It is revealed here that Darin is actually directing a movie about his own life, and is angry about the beginning.

Darin then goes to chat with the young boy watching from the rafters, who as it turns out, is the actor playing the part of the young Darin in the movie Darin is directing, yet also plays the part of the young Darin in the movie WE are watching. They chat about the proper place to start the movie and the fact that the older Darin is too old to be playing the part of a teenage Darin, addressing the real critics concerns that Spacey is too old to play Darin (who was ten years younger than Spacey upon his death). Keeping up? Throughout the movie, though we forget that Darin is filming a movie about himself (and as any Darin aficionados out there know, Darin never filmed such a movie), Darin stops the movie we are watching and addresses the younger version of himself again, as he revises his own view of history. This isn't even making any sense to me as I write.

I almost was able to overlook this bizarre post-modern for the sake of being post-modern twists; Kate Bosworth is sensational as actress Sandra Dee, Darin's wife and I actually got into Kevin Spacey singing as Darin and the biopic as a while. But it truly ground to a halt for movie at the end. The movie could have gone out on a high note, focusing on Darin's last performance. But instead the child actor - Darin's younger self - makes his last appearance, claiming that Darin was once again employing his own revisionist history. Instead, we have this bizarre dance sequence featuring both Darins, plus an array of well-groomed men, who I suppose are other versions of Darin. This goes on for several minutes, harking me back to "Chicago" territory (which I viewed as one of the worst movies of 2003). After the final fade to black, we have the obvious "this is what happened after the movie" sequence, where the movie has us to believe that while Bobby Darin's real self died in 1973 on the operating table, Bobby Darin, the entertainer, lived on. For a few minutes, I was dumb enough - maybe from the slumber of the pointless dance interlude - that Bobby Darin's two selves merged and he really did live on!

The movie is worth seeing if you are interested in Bobby Darin or want to hear Kevin Spacey's capable singing voice. The later stages of Darin's life are interesting to watch when he devolves from Vegas style entertainer to peace-nik hippie performer. But alas, because of that ending and the darn-fangled meta twist, it sinks under its own deadly weight.

My grade: A for effort but effort doesn't count. Two and a half stars out of four.

Treading Water with "Oceans 12"

2004-12-10T19:50:00.000-08:00

The remake of "Ocean's 11" is one of my all-time favorite movies. The cast is amazing, the pacing is snappy, and no-matter how many times you see it, the jokes make me laugh and the intrigue is edge-of-your-seat fun. Its sequel on the other hand, while enjoyable, does not live up to the promise of the original, but then again, sequels rarely do.

I must acknowledge, however, that the cast has an amazing chemistry. It's obvious how much fun they had while making the movie, and you can see it right up on the screen. I'd love to see this cast in another movie entirely, perhaps a funny spy caper. As much as the first one is better, I wouldn't mind seeing another sequel either.

As usual, this sequel is bigger, bolder, and badder, with higher stakes and more explosions. But it lacks a cohesive storyline that the first one had, and the twists are not only predictable, but so convoluted that it leaves large, gaping plot holes in its wake. For days after, I wondered whether the gang envisioned the consequences of the plan every step of the way, whether everyone was in on it, or whether it was all thrown together last minute. The explanation in the original was much more satisfying; this seemed more hastily thrown together, perhaps evidence that the script was written as production was ongoing. Soderberg himself however, has admitted that he wanted this movie to be hasty, hurried, messier and he has indeed been successful - if that was his goal anyway.

That being said, I still very much enjoyed myself at this film. The twist involving Julia Roberts is indeed hilarious (I won't spoil it here) though I would have loved for that other celebrity cameo to have been in on the scam. As I said before, the chemistry between the huge stars is amazing, and the laughs are all still there. "Oceans 12" sinks a bit, but definitely still floats.

My grade: two and a half stars out of four.

"Closer" Brings Emotions Together

2004-12-03T11:50:00.000-08:00

"Closer" is not a date movie. No matter how it appears in the trailers - the coupling and uncoupling of four pretty people (Julia Roberts, Natalie Portman, Clive Owen, and Jude Law) - I urge you NOT to see this on a date. It's not romantic. It's not upbeat. It's anything but. It is however, a fascinating movie, a fly-on-the-wall film about four sad-souled people in London.

The performances are stellar. In addition to "Sideways" and "We Don't Live Here Anymore," this film features the best ensemble cast currently assembled on-screen, and definitely the most attractive one. Julia Roberts does her best not to smile; she never shows off her pearly white teeth and the feature that made her famous. But it doesn't matter. She gives her best performance since "Erin Brokovich," and in a year of underwhelming female performances, she could parlay the role into one of an Oscar contender. Natalie Portman sparkles as a former-stripper and has never been better. Capping off a stellar year with "Garden State," Portman should win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. In fact, I think it's her's to lose. Clive Owen also gives a career-making performance, and building on his buzz after "Croupier" and the forgettable "King Arthur." He should definitely turn his stunning role as a sensitive but brutally honest doctor into an Oscar nomination. Jude Law continues his year of affable cad. Law is fantastic as a philandering failed-novelist, but will be the most obvious choice NOT to receive an Oscar nomination of the bunch, simply because the competition is simply too fierce in his category.

In addition to the incredible performances, the script and direction by Michael Nichols is outstanding. Nichols has had a great year after "Angels in America" on HBO and this should put him further over the critical edge. Like "Sideways," this movie is a writer's movie and an actor's. They are films made for the appreciation of both crafts.

Despite a depressing end - and hearbreaking set pieces - this movie really connected with me, and hopefully audiences as a whole. Many average viewers were turned off by the negative, glass-is-half-empty outlook, but I think most are saddened by its non-romanticized view of relationships. There is no happy Hollywood-style ending; there aren't always motivations for deception, lies, and adultery. Things just happen. The feelings in our guts push us towards behavior - no matter how hostile or deceitful - all for love. And we aren't always motivated with our hearts; our sexual organs sometimes push us into one direction or another. That's definitely not our typical Hollywood "Pretty Woman"-esque romantic-comedies, but it's the truth, plain and simple, naked, raw, and vulnerable for our viewing.