Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls
This sequel, in the Indiana Jones saga, is not as good as its predecessors. It follows the same old ‘formula’, and basically offers nothing new. There is something awfully familiar about it. Perhaps, there is one too many car chases. Harrison Ford walks through the movie, and the only interesting thing in it is Cate Blanchett, as a rather sinister Russian Intelligence Officer.
The Mummy III, Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
This is another sequel that doesn’t quite make it. The problem is that the Brendan Fraser character, explorer ‘Rick O’Connell’, along with his screen wife and son, are superfluous to the movie. The story is quite interesting, but, maybe, the producers felt they couldn’t ‘sell’ it without a gimmick. Hence, Brendan. The movie obviously cost a lot to make, but looks cheap!
Hellboy II, The Golden Army
Now, this is a sequel that really outdoes itself! Working with what appears to be an unlimited budget, amazing director Guillermo Del Toro, the man who brought us ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’, writes, produces, and makes a movie which is fantastic. Okay, the ‘comic book’ plot is predictable, but, forget that! Just concentrate on the incredible costumes, sets and production values.
Taken
Written and produced by Luc Besson, and directed by one of his protégées, Pierre Morel, this is a sleek French thriller. When the daughter of a retired CIA Agent is abducted in France, he goes to Paris, and tears the town apart, looking for her. Once the movie finally gets going, the action is relentless. Also, Liam Neeson has not performed with so much passion for a long time.
Trans Siberian
This unusual thriller is set on the famous Trans Siberian train, which links the Far East to Europe, running from Vladivostok to Moscow. Two ‘dumb’ American back packers join the train from Beijing, and encounter some shady characters. The movie travels through a lot of twists and turns. Just when you think you have figured it all out, it takes you off someplace else!
Wall.E
I am worried that young children will not get all the meaning of this cartoon. There is little dialogue, and most of the show is presented in ‘pantomime’. The last inhabitant on Earth is a robot, left by the evacuating population to clean up the trash. He falls in love with an outer space computerized probe. There are also songs from the popular Streisand movie ‘Hello Dolly’! What?
The Children of Huang Shi
The similarities between this movie and ‘The Inn of the Sixth Happiness’ (1958), are too striking to ignore. It makes you think it must have come from the same source. Set in 1937 China, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, instead of Ingrid Bergman, leads sixty orphans trying to evade the occupying Japanese army. Thank God, this time around they don’t sing their way across most of China.
Live!
If you have fond memories of Peter Finch’s movie ‘Network’ (1976), you will probably get a kick out of this free form adaptation of a similar theme. Reminiscent of Fay Dunaway, Eva Mendes tries to get a controversial TV show ‘on air’, to boost the ratings. The movie has some agonizing moments, and it is a forceful condemnation of the American TV Network Industry.
Recount
This movie is required viewing for anyone interested in contemporary American politics. It is a factual visualization of the political hogwash, which led to an electoral Recount, in the State of Florida, during the 2000 Presidential elections. Laura Dern, in particular, is impressive as Katherine Harris, the vain Secretary of State of Florida, responsible for all the mess.
An American Crime
Based on true events, and court testimony, this is a shocking movie about the systematic brutalization and molestation of an innocent teenage girl, placed in the care of a puritanical and hypochondriacal woman. Set in Indianapolis, in 1965, writer and director Tommy O’Haver slowly builds his movie to its devastating climax. Both Ellen Page and Catherine Keener are tremendous.
Fred Claus
Christmas is still four months away, yet, Christmas movies are starting to appear. This delightful Christmas movie stars Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, Miranda Richardson, Kevin Spacey, Kathy Bates and Rachael Weisz. A remarkable cast. It concerns Santa Claus’ jealous elder brother, Fred, who has to stand in at the last moment and save the day. Buy now and view later!
Bra Boys
Surfing addicts are going to get a real ‘buzz’ out of this movie. Narrated by Russell Crowe, and directed by the champion surfer Sunny Abberton, the documentary is about the Australian, Sydney, beach suburb Maroubra, and its much maligned surfing community, known as the ‘Bra Boys’. Apart from the important social commentary, there is plenty of neat action on the waves.
Baby Mama
Tina Fey stars in this comedy-of-sorts, as a business woman who fears her biological clock is ticking out. Work commitments, and her T shaped uterus, don’t permit her to have a baby, so she implants one of her fertilized eggs into a surrogate mother. Writer and director Michael McCullers’ movie isn’t all that funny per se, but it does make some very strong feminist statements.
Smother
I wish someone would tell Diane Keaton that she is no longer funny. Back in the 1970s, when she was Woody Allen’s Leading Lady, she was witty and vivacious, but, those days are long gone. In ‘Smother’, she is just irritating!
