Kim’s Movie Picks

DVD high season is upon us, as Hollywood rushes to get Oscar nominated and Oscar winning films out in the mainstream so we can rent, buy and swap titles.

Here are some titles I have seen lately:

Rent: Unusual musical about a group of artists in New York that turned out to be flat for me. I usually like musicals, but I think this one was a bit too contemporary. The songs just did not resonate. This film seems to be best for fans of the original Broadway play — and Jesse Martin (Law and Order) fans as well. If you didn’t know it (and I didn’t) he has a powerful and pleasant singing voice.   One and a half stars.

Crash: Overall: amazing. I had purposely avoided this movie on the big screen as the trailers really turned me off. Not certain why. Encouragement from friends — and yes, the Men’s Group at St. Paul’s —  made me seek it out on NetFlix.  This is an awesome film, proving once again that you can’t always tell anything from a movie trailer. Great performances from an eclectic cast (from Terence Howard to Tony Danza?!) who star in a series of vignettes that take a look at preconceived notions and ingrained prejudices — with all the characters and situations tying together at the end of the film. Well worth your time. Not as violent as it may seem. Good for older teens (15+) Four stars.

A History of Violence: This was one of my favorite movies from last year. Please seek out the full film review on this blog (use nav bar on the right, choose October 2005). This movie is a keeper. Unusual plot about an unlikely hero who may have a hidden past keeps you guessing on a number of levels. Outstanding performances. I don’t usually purchase DVDs of movies with violence, but in this case the violence wasn’t gory, and it was central to the plot. This film is at the top of my DVD purchase list. Three and a half stars. 

Prime: Stars Uma Thurman and Meryl Streep - therapist finds out patient she is counseling to move on with her life, romantically, is now seeing her son — who is a good decade younger than she is.  Meryl Streep is good at many things, comedy doesn’t seem to be one of them. This is an okay movie - good for one of those afternoons when you don’t need to think much. Two stars. Okay for teens. Some sex, and sex talk, no real nudity.

King Kong: Peter Jackson’s special effects run amok in this overly long interpretation of a movie classic about a giant ape on a secret island and the actress who tames him. The best parts: the interaction between Kong (brought to us by the stellar acting of Andy Serkis through the magic of CGI) and Naomi Watts, who plays the actress. The worse: giant bugs and more giant bugs. This movie cried out for better editing as the story line was good and the performances not hard to watch (except for Jack Black who looked way too caffeinated.) Two stars. (Rent it and use the remote ruthlessly.)

Good Night and Good Luck:  George Clooney was robbed! This is the movie he should have won the Oscar for — not only for the writing, but for his touching and understated performance as Fred Friendly, the legendary CBS news executive. This movie is a must for anyone who has ever been, or wanted to be, a journalist. This period film allows us to peek into TV’s infancy, when one of the greatest radio and TV journalists of all time, Edward R. Murrow, took on one of Washington’s then most powerful senators, Joe McCarthy, fighting ignorance with intellegence and courage.  It is a short (90 minutes), but highly effective film. Four stars.

Walk the Line: Solid Johnny Cash biopic made stellar by Reese Witherspoon’s luminious performance as June Carter (Cash). Songs not as good, or as stirring, as those in Ray. I didn’t completely buy Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of Cash, but overall this is a good movie. Three stars.

Inside Man is the least Spike Lee-ish of this director’s movies – or is it?  In between the slick action, the fast-paced plot and the entertaining performances by three A list actors, there exists the sly dialogue, the subtle racist notations, the hit-em-quick-and-move-on morality lessons. It’s just all wrapped in a more commercial package this time. And you wonder if this is evolution or survival for one of Hollywood’s more creative directors?

Either way the movie entertains. Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster and Clive Owens all give as good as they get. 
 

The plot takes us a through what seems to be a very well planned, well thought out, bank heist, complete with hostages, masks, and accomplices all named the same…Clive Owen is the heist mastermind, Denzel Washington is the police officer calling the shots and Jodie Foster is a public relations mastermind representing the bank owner, who wishes the whole matter to end quickly and quietly (as this branch contains some of his own personal effects).  Christopher Plummer plays the big-cheese bank owner, but frankly I felt his character needed more bite than regret. He seems little more than an attractive placeholder here.

Foster gives an outstanding, pitch-perfect performance as the high maintenance PR operative to the wealthy and powerful. Her interactions with actor Peter Kybart who plays the NY city mayor (and has an unfortunate physical resemblance to Ed Koch) are delightful to behold, as these two allies/enemies spar and poke at each other, to get what they both desperately need.   

Foster is a child of Hollywood and has, I am sure, seen both the best and worst of what the PR and publicity field has to offer: she channels both sides of the coin here with wicked results. For me it was the best part of this movie.

Three out of four stars. Good story; solid execution. Not much violence. Some rough language (watch for the biting verbal interchange between Foster and Kybart and how Foster turns the ultimate of insults into an accepted compliment.) Rated R for language and some violent images. Okay for most teenagers (13 and up) and even grandma if she likes a good mystery.  Solid date movie.