Speed Racer
Written, produced and directed by the Wachowski Brothers, those talented guys who brought us ‘The Matrix Trilogy’, this movie, ‘Speed Racer’, takes a look at motor car racing in a very bizarre future. It is an amazing blend of real action, and animation of various styles. Set in a world which seems to be a blend of computer video games and high-tech machinery, the plot is actually a bit dull, but, the action and the amazing visual effects never let up.
Batman, The Dark Knight
This movie made an extraordinary amount of money on its initial screen release, but it is hard to overlook the fact that it is banal. No matter how much action and special effects have been put into it, coming in at two and a half hours the movie is over long, repetitious and confusing. Also, the movie is quite ‘dark’ and violent. It is really not for children. Just adolescent adults!
Finn’s Girl
Dealing with controversial subjects like lesbian marriage, reproductive research, and artificial insemination, this Canadian drama pulls no punches. A female doctor, administering an abortion clinic, is stalked by a fanatical ‘right to life’ activist, and, eventually, she begins a relationship with her female police protection officer. Still, this scenario is merely a framework on which to hang a topic of much more social concern. In typical Canadian style, the movie is cool and alienated, as it builds to its emotional climax.
Henry Poole is Here
In the eyes of his Mexican next door neighbor, a stain on the stucco wall of Henry Poole’s suburban Los Angeles home, looks just like the face of Jesus Christ. Henry is unable to keep the neighbor, her priest, and the curious, out of his backyard. Ultimately, of course, ‘miracles’ do start to happen. Luke Wilson, as Henry, is terrific in Mark Pellington’s low-key comedy, which takes an amusing, yet sympathetic and serious look at religious fanaticism.
Snatch
Guy Ritchie creates a great British ‘black comedy’, masquerading as a crime caper. Ok, the plot is deliberately confusing. It is meant to be, for the movie is intended as a farce. It is all about a huge stolen diamond, fixing boxing matches, and a very naughty dog. Benicio Del Toro, Dennis Farina, Vinnie Jones, Brad Pitt and Jason Statham play a memorable gang of thieves. They will have you in stitches from beginning to end. Ritchie makes his film in faded colors, and this adds a lot of style and class to his fast paced movie.
An Empress And The Warriors
Set in ancient China, this movie is ‘over the top’! When a king dies, he has no one to leave his kingdom to but his princess daughter. This sets off a civil war between the pretenders to the throne. After escaping an assassination attempt, the princess gets lost in the countryside, where she is rescued by a mysterious man. They fall in love. A short break for a romantic song. Anyway, duty calls, and the princess returns to give combat. The movie is outrageous, but the Battles, the Kung Fu, and the Costumes, are sensational.
Purple Violets
With movies like ‘Sidewalks of New York’ (2001) and ‘Ash Wednesday’ (2002), American writer, producer, director and actor Edward Burns has long been regarded as the King of the Independent B Grade movie. Still, with ‘Purple Violets’, Burns finally makes it to the ‘A’ list. Selma Blair, Patrick Wilson, Debra Messing, and Edward Burns himself, play two couples reviving their love affairs, which were ended earlier in their pasts. Yes, these New York intellectuals do spend a lot of time in glamorous restaurants discussing their private lives, but Edward Burns succeeds in making a Woody Allen-like film, which has a significant amount of charm.
The Strangers
Based on true events which occurred in 2005, Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman star in this terrifying movie, written and directed by Bryan Bertino. After returning from a wedding reception, a couple stay the night in an isolated vacation house. They are taking ‘time out’ to rejuvenate their own marriage. Then, at 4am, comes a knock on the door. The house is invaded by three masked strangers. What ensues is horrific. A lot of supposition goes on in the movie, for who knows what really happened, but, as a cinematic interpretation of a violent, senseless American crime, the movie is riveting.
Keith
Back in 1970 director Arthur Hiller and novelist Erich Segal made what was probably the most schmaltzy and romantic movie of all time. ‘Love Story’. It was a mix of love and terminal illness, and it was condemned by the critics of the day. Nevertheless, it was an enormous box office hit. Come on. Admit that you know the line: “Love is never having to say you are sorry”. In his movie ‘Keith’, writer, producer and director Todd Kessler reverses the roles around, and he changes the central characters into high school students, but, it’s still the same old story. Jesse McCartney and Elisabeth Harnois are not as likable as Ryan O’Neal and Ali MacGraw were way back then. Eons ago.
The Poet
During the Second World War a German Officer, who dabbles in poetry, falls in love with a Jewish temptress. Separated, they spend most of the movie stomping around Polish forests, looking for each other, until a series of preposterous events reunite them. The movie is absolutely ridiculous.
