Quickie: The Proposal
The Proposal (2009)–*** Quickie Review Threatened with deportation, a stone cold editor at a New York City publishing house forces her assistant to marry her. An above average rom-com, this sharp and at times rather affecting motion picture benefits from the fresh chemistry of its two leads. As the assistant, a suave Ryan Reynolds looks and feels the part of a classic leading man, while Sandra Bullock gets to play tough without overwhelming the audience with her cutesy awkwardness. The Bullock-Reynolds banter flows effortlessly, which helps the movie charm us on the whole despite a few failed comic gimmicks. Watch for some choice moments from the always delightful Betty White. Directed by Anne Fletcher and featuring Mary Steenburgen and Craig T. Nelson as Reynold’s character’s...
Read MoreMovie Review: Up
Up (2009)–**** The greatness of Pixar isn’t hard to define. It is, however, hard to believe. After 14 years, the animation studio still has greatness in spades, and Up, the latest wonder from the folks who brought us Toy Story, Monsters, Inc. and Ratatouille, is beyond great. It’s perfect. From its opening moments where a young Carl meets Ellie, the love of his life, to the final shot of Carl (Ed Asner) and his young Wilderness Explorer friend Russell (Jordan Nagai) together on a school auditorium stage, Up embodies all that is great about cinema and, more importantly, about life. The film’s first 10 minutes or so are dedicated to Carl’s journey with the woman he loved, Ellie. The pair were brought together as children through a shared love of adventure and a mutual adoration of explorer Charles Muntz...
Read MoreQuickie: Drag Me to Hell
Drag Me to Hell (2009)–***1/2 Quickie Review A loan officer from the country seeks upward mobility in Los Angeles at the expense of an old woman trying to keep her home. The old woman takes revenge by cursing the loan officer. Scary, funny, and just pure Raimi goodness, this demonic horror picture is an instant genre classic. Its PG-13 rating helps more than hinders, proving horror pictures can still be frightfully entertaining without the blood and guts. (We are lucky enough to get some great gross-out moments, though.) While some directors seem to lose their touch after taking on big Hollywood productions, Sam Raimi, ever the craftsman, shows that he still has it. Starring Alison Lohman and Justin Long. Drag Me to Hell is now...
Read MoreQuickie: Terminator Salvation
Terminator Salvation–** Quick Review In 2018, John Connor leads the human resistance against Skynet machines set on killing him and the teenager who will go back in time to become his father. A benign tumor on the Terminator franchise, this McG-directed four-quel is loud and soulless, but otherwise harmless. The film pulls you in just enough to warrant continuing the franchise, but only if you’re willing to slog through two hours of overblown effects, unimaginative chase sequences, and a script content in its mediocrity. Starring Christian Bale, Anton Yelchin, and Sam...
Read MoreThe (Streaming) Girlfriend Experience
I’ve been meaning to write about Steven Soderbergh’s latest film, The Girlfriend Experience, for days now after watching the indie on Amazon.com. That’s right, Academy Award winner Steven Soderbergh’s latest film hasn’t been released in theaters, but it’s already streaming online for a small rental fee. Okay, a big rental fee. More than the price of a movie ticket in your average market. When it comes right down to it, not many people are going to pay $9.99 for a three-day movie rental. But what irks me most about watching Soderbergh’s tale of a high-priced call girl trying to make a living in the middle of the current economic meltdown isn’t just its equally high-priced delivery. It’s the film’s low-end storytelling. The Girlfriend Experience just isn’t that good. At best it’s a heavy-handed metaphor for losing your home on...
Read MoreMovie Review: The Other Side of Paradise
The Other Side of Paradise (2009) At the heart of The Other Side of Paradise is the story of two longtime friends who are still trying to find that right moment to be more than just friends. It beats quite powerfully, but in the end it’s a healthy heart in an obese body. There’s just too much fat on this picture. I’m generally a look-below-the-surface kind of guy when it comes to the indies that get sent my way. Justin Hilliard, however, proved he has the talent and ambition to create bigger, better pictures after his potent debut with the film Wednesday. The Other Side of Paradise is a nice transition from experimental indie filmmaking to more concentrated storytelling efforts. I liked it. I just wish I could say I loved it. The film follows the free-spirited photographer Rose...
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