Read Window (1954)

Reviewed 07.08.2007

Wheel-chair bound photographer L.B. Jefferies (James Stewart) is recovering from a nasty broken leg at home. Not content to be visited by his beautiful girlfriend, Lisa (Grace Kelly) and lovely nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter), Jeff occupies himself through a series of constantly changing vignettes courtesy of his courtyard. He's a peeper!! Watching through the windows and his camera lens, he plays along in the lives of the courtyard inhabitants. There is the dancer, 'Miss Torso' who dances all day and dates multi-men, 'Miss Lonelyhearts' who practices dates on her own, newly-weds, a frustrated bachelor composer, newlyweds and lovers, a nearly deaf sculptor, and bedridden Mrs. Thorwald and her husband Mr. Thorwald (Raymond Burr).

Jeff's voyeurism garners the scorn of his lady friends, but when he witnesses an argument between the Thorwalds and the missus disappears, Jeff becomes convinced that Mr. Thorwald has murdered his wife. When presented with the 'facts' of the case, the three are determined to get to truth.

Some 50+ years later, Rear Window remains an effective thriller. Director Alfred Hitchcock is a master of suspense, as he allows the emotion to build until the viewer is practically at wit's end before effectively delivering a climax that leaves the heart pounding. Slowly, the viewer, alongside Jeff gets to know the comings and goings of the neighborhood. The viewer is just as suspicious when the flowers beds suddenly seem taller, the dogs disappears and suddenly Mrs. Thorwald is missing. Hitchcock gets us all to forget that we're all engaging in licentious behavior, or rather, murder is worse than what we're doing.

As with the films of this period, everything is quite dapper. Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly are beautiful on-screen. Their relationship alone, she's a high society girl; he's a nitty-gritty photographer adds another layer of interest. Hitchcock's ingenuity keeps viewer curiosity alive. Imagine the limitations of filming a courtyard and yet, he creates a vibrant little place that we actually want to watch. Just like Jefferies, we are immobilized and anxious when we feel the look of Mr. Thorwald's eyes upon us.

Rear Window is a taunt piece and fine example of classic film making. Simple in nature, but technically brilliant. Hitchcock was a master manipulator of emotions and certainly out nerves. Well worth a viewing!

Citizen Kane (1941)

Reviewed: 07.23.2007

Following the death of newspaper tycoon and philanthropist Charles Foster Kane, news reporters set out to discover the meaning behind his last word... "Rosebud". Kane's life is re-examined through a series of newsreel footage in an attempt to discover the man behind the persona.

Citizen Kane is considered one of Hollywood's classics. Judging this film by today's standards, doesn't do either party justice. To think generations are missing out because of it's age or that it's B&W is sad. Citizen Kane is on top of those lists for a reason. After viewing, you'll see why.

Grandiose and bombastic, Orson Wells embodies Kane from the ambitious 20-something to the disillusioned 60 year old, Wells makes Kane overwhelmingly real. It's a masterful performance. The supporting cast of characters all seem to be operating on another plane, symbolizing periods of time in this man's life.

The visual styling of Citizen Kane is unconventional and stunning. Creating themes through the symbolism, special effects, scoring and detailed cinematography, the film assaults the senses. Combined, the viewer is easily engrossed in the story of a vulnerable man and his Rosebud.

Citizen Kane, again, is essential viewing for film fans. However, the dependence of symbolism may very well impede the best of intentions.

01.24.2010 ~ Although the secret is out, I love this one.  The symbolism is key.  'Grandiose and bombastic' still stand.

I, Robot (2004)

Reviewed 01.10.2005

Whether it's aliens or robots, Will Smith can save the world all the while cracking jokes. I, Robot could be I, Amcreepedout for those of you having read Issac Asimov's book. Other than that, this movie is based VERY loosely on his work. Without giving away, what is sometimes an obvious plot...

• Sonny, the main robot, creeps me out and yet, I find myself rooting for him (not for long).
• Detective Spooner, we discover things are not what they seem.
• Susan Calvin needs a life.
• V.I.K.I is whack.

The film is choppy at best, but not bad for 115 minutes. (Remember, Will Smith movie?!) Before you think I didn't like it, I did. In a 'Will Smith can't play a role without randomly smarta$$ing his way through' kind way. That's what I liked. The rather aimless character development and plot was fine by me. My only disappointment, Smith didn't kick enough robot alloy, including Sonny's.

The Crow (1994)

Reviewed 11.19.2006

People once believed that when you died, a crow took your soul to the land of the dead.....but sometimes, just sometimes, the crow could bring that soul back, to make the wrong things right..."

In this 'Gotham-esque' city, master criminal Top Dollar (Michael Wincott) directs low-life underlings in wanton acts of arson and depravity on what has become known as Devil's Night, the eve of Halloween. On the eve of their wedding, rockster Eric Draven and his fiance Shelly Webster were brutally murdered. On that Devil's Night, Eric (Brandon Lee) comes home to find Shelly (Sofia Shinas) being raped and beaten, only to find himself assaulted, shot and shoved out a five-story window. They leave behind a close young friend Sarah (Rochelle Davis), endless rainy nights in the city, and infinite sorrow on those who knew them. A year later, a Crow brings Draven's tormented soul out of the grave, gifting him with new powers and a world of pain and grief. Guiding Draven, the Crow allows him to take revenge upon his killers and earn eternal rest.

Director Alex Proyas' revenge thriller is just bad. The characters are bad interpretations of bad guys. With fool-hardy names like Skank, Funboy, and T-Bird, who begin each night of depravity with 'Fire it Up', what else do you expect? The mastermind behind them all, with his equally non-sensical name, Top Dollar, carries a sword, has a penchant for eyeballs and calls an Asian woman with weird lips his sister. Still with me? When Top Dollar says "this is already boring the sh!t out of me," the viewer can't help think the same.

As for Brandon Lee, it's a shame we never saw him do more. Beneath the Insane Clown Posse reject make-up is a glimmer of emotion and passion that might be unique. With his skin-tight heroine chic ninja oufit, complete with electric guitar, the audience knows he's out to save Gotham City. Or not. To his credit, Lee, is given some of the worst moments of dialogue and tries for believability. "Suddenly I heard a tapping, as of someone gently rapping...at my chamber door". Raven.. Crow... not the same thing. Nice try. Wait, depressed teenagers wouldn't know the difference.

The Crow complete with its weird, creepy, Gothic atmosphere is visually interesting to watch. While it has reached cult status with depressed teens everywhere, a closer look shows this film doesn't hold water. It's a shame a smart graphic novel can become a mockery of itself so quickly. With characters that barely rise from the grave themselves, stuck in obviously cliched melodramatic moments, The Crow is so bad, it's funny.

01.10.10 ~ Funny, when I went back to retrieve this review, I remembered it being positive.  Wrong.  This is incredibly harsh for what I now view as a guilty pleasure.  Ouch.

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Reviewed: 12.28.2006

The Hoover family from Albequerque, New Mexico might be the family next door. Or not. Dad, Richard, (Greg Kinnear) is a wanna-be movitational speaker who spouts lectures on winners and losers. Mom, Sheryl (Toni Collette), is a chain-smoking housewife, who like any woman, wants only the best for her marriage and family. Uncle Frank (Steve Carrell), we are reminded, is the pre-eminent Proust scholar who recently tried to commit suicide following an unsuccessful romance with a male graduate studen. Grandpa Edwin (Alan Arkin) came to stay after he was kicked out of the retirement home because of his heroine addiction. Brother Dwayne (Paul Dano) is a fanatical follower of Frederich Nietzsche and has taken a vow of silence until he completes his life goal of joining the air force and flying. Then there's young Olive (Abigail Breslin) who dreams of competing in beauty pagents.

Despite his drug habit, Grandpa enthusiastically coaches Olive in her contest talent dance routine. One day, Olive gets the call. She's finally getting her chance if she can make it to the Little Miss Sunshine contest in California. The one thing that might prevent her dreams coming true is her own families quirks and neuroses. The family road trip that ensues in a barely functional VW bus is sad, tragic, painful and fuzzy warm.

Little Miss Sunshine has been the Napoleon Dynamite darling of 2006 and after viewing, I can see why. I almost didn't see bother with this one because of the hype surrounding it.

Really, the characters are unoriginal, overdone cliches, but thanks to its charming cast of lovable f^ck-ups, you'd be hard pressed not to find Little Miss Sunshine relatible on some level. The whole cast shines, but it's little Abigail Breslin that draws you in. Despite her age, Breslin imbibes Olive with an innocent maturity well beyond her years. The film hangs on her every moment of sadness, joy, confusion and determination. Olive is the only 'normal' one of the bunch and let's use that term loosely. This odd looking creature with her even odder family rallied in support of her goal and loaded into the VW bus is hysterical. Carell is his first semi-serious role as Frank finds another shade of deep despair. Dano, as Olive's older brother manages to speak volumes with little more than facial expressions and shoulder shrugs. Arkin as the cantankerous grandfather could have played this role in the dark. And although I've never been a fan of Kinnear, even he manages to fill his role as judgemental father failure spot on. Holding it all together is Toni Collette, the frustrated 'Every Mom'.

This is a brilliant character driven film. Most of the film takes place in the VW bus or along the roadside and not one single frame is a waste of time. Throughout the film, each character has, what I affectionately deem, their 'light-bulb' moment and each of those moments are dramatically different and at times, odd. Little Miss Sunshine contains simple themes of love, death, and ultimate acceptance but without all the preachy insincerity.

Little Miss isn't all sunshine with a few plot issues and continuity goofs, but the intriguing personalities more than cover for them. The bits of subtle physical comedy found along the way are side-achingly funny, in a most unusal way; dialogue is witty, but honest and every day. The simple score adds further quirky enhancement to the road trip. The stops along the way provide incredible moments of dry humor, from the gas station to the highway patrol, but it's the climax of the film when Olive performs at the pageant that shows us, albeit rather uncomforably weirdly, what family should be all about.

Little Miss Sunshine is a beautiful message is an unlikely package. It's a fresh creative film that shouldn't be missed. It proves that life isn't about the destination, but rather the journey along the way.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Reviewed: 06.06.2005

After their relationship sours, Joel (Jim Carrey) undergoes a procedure to erase all memories of his former love Clementine (Kate Winslet) after discovering she has done the same. As memories become lost, only then do they realize what they had to begin with. Carrey is perfect as socially inept Joel. Winslett shines as neurotic Clementine who's hair changes as often as her mood. Charlie Kaufman did us all a favor in dazzling us with the human mind in all is complexities and all of its beautiful possibilities.

I love this movie, but you'll only love it if you enjoy the existential.  One of Carrey's finest.

Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

Reviewed: 02.06.2005

Oppressed by the hiarchy of highschool? Held down by lack of 'skills'? This movie is for YOU!!

Like no movie I've ever seen. Virtually no plot unless you consider Napoleon Dynamite (John Heider) surviving his own life the plot. Alienated at high school and dealing with a bizarre family life, you can't help but root for him.

The supporting cast steals the show. There's not one that doesn't bring Napoleon's new friend Pedro (Efren Ramirez) is freaking hilarious especially as they team up to win the class presidency for Pedro. Kip (Aaron Ruell), Napoleon's 32-year old brother cruises the chatrooms for girls and eats all the chips. Lafawnduh, Deb, and Uncle Rico round out a side-aching movie.

I sat enthralled. Laughing hysterically and unfortunately, relating at times. The dialogue is like the best. Not for everyone, though. If this doesn't do it for you...

Pedro: Do you think people will vote for me?
Napoleon Dynamite: Heck yes! I'd vote for you.
Pedro: Like what are my skills?
Napoleon Dynamite: Well, you have a sweet bike. And you're really good at hooking up with chicks. Plus you're like the only guy at school who has a mustache.

... then don't watch this movie.