Weekly Review -- Valentines and... werewolves?!

Dog Soldiers (2002) -- As I have said in my Werewolf Hunter review, the number of successful werewolf movies was at an all-time low in the past few years. Dog Soldiers is a good action/horror entry, with enough originality to make it a cut above the rest. At the beginning, we see a group of soldiers on an exercise in the Scottish highlands. The ragtag group includes hardened Sgt. Wells (Sean Pertwee), by-the-book Pvt. Cooper (Kevin McKidd) and soccer-obsessed Pvt. Kirkley (Chris Robson). During their routine, the group happens upon a scene of a massacre, finding only one survivor, Captain Ryan (Liam Cunningham). Ranting and raving, the captain seems to hint at what took place. Soon enough, the soldiers realize that they are being hunted by a lycanthrope and, aided by zoologist Megan (Julianne Moore lookalike Emma Cleasby), try to survive the night. The isolated and unfamiliar nature terrain is perfect for a werewolf tale, embodying the characters' claustrophobia and enhancing their new status as prey. Each of the soldiers is distinctly drawn out, although I had a problem with some of the characters having been taken almost directly from Aliens. The film also showcases a strong female character in Megan, showing that recent British horror is more progressive in this regard than recent American horror. I liked the occasional touches of humor, like Kirkley's soccer adoration and the last image at the end credits (make sure to keep watching!). I felt that some of the film's gore was unnecessary, but the good thing is that it actually proved to be essential to the story. The script is clever, with some truly poignant moments; the dialogue between Wells and Cooper near the end is brutally honest and uncompromising. The film veers off course a bit in the last 45 minutes, getting lost in its effects and shoot-outs, but gets back on track due to interesting interactions between the characters and intelligent twists. With well-timed scares, humor and appropriate settings, this is a film that all action and horror afficionados should see.

7/10


The Truth About Love (2004) -- Memorable romantic comedies are a rare find nowadays. Many lack whimsical charm and humor; some others lack chemistry between the leads (!); some others yet are not big on clever writing. This film was a pleasant surprise. Alice (Jennifer Love Hewitt) receives a Valentine from a secret admirer. Little does she know that the card comes from her husband Sam's (Jimi Mistry) best friend Archie (Dougray Scott), who has had an intense crush on Alice for a while. Since Alice makes the card known to Sam, she decides to test him and sends him an anonymous card herself. From that moment, a sexy game of kiss-and-tell unravels, revealing more about the players than they have (probably) wanted to know. The screenplay is poignant and mature. It serves up meaningful dialogue, cares about the characters and does not ignore them for the sake of frivolous gags. Scott puts his heart into his performance as the lovelorn, smart Archie, while Mistry is convincing as Alice's wheeling-and-dealing husband. The supporting characters are original, too, from Alice's promiscuous sister (Kate Miles) to Branka Katic's aggressive Katya. The biggest discovery for me, though, was Hewitt's performance. I have never been really impressed by her, but here she gives a subtle and touching performance as the disillusioned and resourceful wife. The ending scenes are a bit of a minus, stretching the fantasy element almost too far and testing the carefully attained viewing audience's patience, but they do not deter from the sweet honesty of the film. This is one Truth worth learning.

8/10

Cinema kisses and other delights

What famous movie kiss are you?

This is the Casablanca kiss! It is forbidden, but the two people are meant to be together, even though they can't be together. In the end, they do what is right even though it breaks their hearts. :(
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The many villains of Batman's world

Since I do not have a clue about the Batman comic books and, therefore, do not know certain characters which are rumored to be prominently featured in the next film, I spent some time researching these characters on the Net. Among other cool sites, I found this cute quiz on Quizilla.

Which Batman Villain Are You?

You are: POISON IVY!
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I do not know much about this vixen, but I do know that she was the best character in the godawful Batman & Robin. *shudder* Too bad she got stuck in that film, though.

Weekly Review -- Sex, lies and all the other fun stuff

Caché (2005) -- A portrait of a family caught up in the trauma of stalking. A reflection on primeval human emotions. A rumination on racially charged urban paranoia overwhelming France. There are not too many films that can be interpreted in numerous, equally plausible ways, and Michael Haneke's Caché is one of these rare finds.

Married couple Georges and Anne Laurent (Daniel Auteuil and Juliette Binoche) receive a video tape which shows their house under surveillance for two hours. Soon another tape arrives, and then another. The tapes seem to be digging into the past, frightening Georges and Anne more and more with each strategically placed shot. Slowly and meticulously, the mystery is ruining their lives and there is no way out.


**POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD**


The direction of the film is perfect. Caché plays out as a crisp, restrained thriller about everyday lives gone array. The eerily soundless shots of the family home, the helplessness of the Laurents and some rather unsettling images that hint at violence present a mystery that slowly develops into a relationship exposé. The tape enigma never even dips into over-the-top crime drama territory, focusing instead on the human psychological transformations that the intrusive videos provoke. Anne and Georges are both overworked and exhausted from the tedium of obligation. The tapes serve the purpose of waking these two people from their slumber and making them re-think their existence. The film's serene facade and the quiet suspense underneath are so powerful that one brutal scene comes as a shock to behold. On that note, I can honestly say that this scene is the most abrupt jolt I have had at the cinema in recent years.

The acting is excellent. Juliette Binoche is the standout among the cast, her character evolving from a woman bored with her routine to a woman who struggles desperately to keep it all from falling apart. Anne and Georges's dialogue about trust is one of the most memorable scenes in the film. Daniel Auteuil is believable as Georges, allowing us the occasional glimpse into the character's soul while he is trying to deal with a crisis. Maurice Bénichou is wonderful as Majid, and Annie Girardot has a very nice turn as Georges's mother, showing genuine concern but being unable to help.

The ethnocentric subtext adds to the film, particularly in the context of France's chaos of recent years. There are numerous events that suggest the Laurents' fear of the unknown, and the subtle xenophobia is nicely woven into the threat of the tapes. The politics of the film are never force-fed to the audience; instead, they represent a sign of the times in the context of a stalking.

The film is not only a psychological thriller, but a drama that shows how past, present and future can sometimes intersect to create a dead end street for those involved. I am glad that Caché has not ended up as a classic sneak-around-and-attack thriller, since its themes benefit from Haneke's analytical approach.

8/10


16 Blocks (2006) -- It is good if the screenplay for a crime drama follows the rules of its own logic. It is even better if it minds the actions of its characters, but this movie does neither. Burned-out cop Jack Mosley (Bruce Willis) needs to escort witness Eddie Bunker (Mos Def) safely to a courthouse. Bunker's impending testimony turns out to be a thorn in the side of certain people, so he and Mosley run into a number of difficulties on their way. The main problem with the movie are its gigantic plot holes and loose ends. For example, why does Jack not get rid of that darn phone? How come the bad guys pop up around every single corner? Where is the news crew requested? Things happen and the outcome is left dangling, while our suspension of disbelief is at the red hot maximum. The cast is well chosen, though. Bruce Willis is likeable 99% of the time in his films, and here he makes us empathize with his character's jaded sensibilities. Mos Def has enough charisma to act the whole movie out on his own, but his talents are wasted, since the screenplay does not ask much of him. Each of the characters is interesting; each is a good soul that has taken a few fatefully wrong turns in life. To top it off, Willis and Def have great on-screen chemistry, which leaves the viewer lamenting as to why their characters were not developed in greater detail. Overall, it is a pretty forgettable feature, but you could find worse ways to pass your time.

6/10

Weekly Review -- All firewalled out

Firewall (2006) -- Harrison Ford has made a cinematic niche for himself in the last decade, often playing ordinary family men forced to rescue their families from assorted villains. This style of film is his tried and true formula; Ford's appeal makes us empathize with his characters' ordeals and the stories are always entertaining. Well, almost always. Firewall is certainly inferior to films like Air Force One and Patriot Games. It is more violent and less logical, with villains that are far less clever than AFO's Korshunov or Patriot Games' Sean Miller. This film finds Ford as Jack Stanfield, VP of bank security, who has to rob his own bank for bad guy Bill Cox (Paul Bettany), while Cox and his cronies hold Stanfield's family hostage. Along the way, he finds means to thwart the criminals' plans and use the bank's computer system to his advantage. Personally, I found this film to be a combination of Don't Say a Word and Hostage, with a bit of hacking and techno talk thrown in for good measure; the thing is, both of these were more engaging films. It is a predictably written and sloppily directed thriller, with some wasted acting talent. Ford is an excellent actor, but should be given more diverse roles, since he has proven his versatility a number of times. Bettany's cheerfully monotone voice and commanding appearance succeed in making Cox threatening, even though the character is mostly one-dimensional and not very intelligent -- e.g. how come he is clueless about the method of robbery that he himself has put into motion? The always wonderful Virginia Madsen is barely given anything to do, but some of her character's actions manage to elevate her above the standard "doting wife" role. There is a colorful turn from Mary Lynn Rajskub, Chloe O'Brien from "24". Overall, this is a thriller without an element of surprise. It is a watchable guilty pleasure, but all three leads -- Ford, Bettany and Madsen -- are undeniably better than this material.

6/10

Summer Review #3 -- X-Men: The Last Stand

I have been wanting to see the third X-Men film ever since I saw the end credits for X2. :-) The first two were terrific films and adaptations, with an interesting cast and meaningful themes woven throughout the exciting stories. I was a little worried when I heard that Brett Ratner was taking over directorial duties from Bryan Singer but, as it turns out, Ratner has succeeded in keeping the spirit of the first two films, one that Singer had flawlessly transferred from page to screen.


**POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD**


In the third installment of the franchise, the U.S. government lab has invented a cure for the X gene, placing mutants on both sides of the fence. Some mutants are eager to revert back to a more normal life, but some see the cure as merely the authorities' attempt to rid them of their individuality. On the other hand, whereas Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and his X-Men see the cure as an ambiguous omen, Magneto (Sir Ian McKellen) and his Brotherhood see it as an unnecessary evil, created solely to exterminate their superior powers. While the unrest over the cure is brewing, the incredibly powerful entity Phoenix is born from the ashes of Dr. Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) and she has yet to choose a side...

Just like the previous two films, The Last Stand poses some moral issues regarding individuality vs. conformity. If you could rid yourself of whatever makes you unique, just for the sake of possibly fitting in among the rest of the world, would you do it? Is the cure really what it seems to be or is it oppression in disguise? Whether it makes life easier or not, you would doubtlessly need to think well and hard about the consequences, which makes us understand both Magneto's resistance and Rogue's enthusiasm. I found both the story and the film's visual aspects to be much darker than those of X-Men and X2. The prospect of a final war and a final defense of sides is colored in sombre and often hopeless hues. The action sequences are much more violent than in the previous two installments. Much of the humor of the first two films is gone, replaced by melancholy elements that fit into the film's themes; however, some of it pops up occasionally, perfectly timed to brighten up the mood.

The way the film approaches the Phoenix legend is almost Gothic in its beauty. Famke Janssen is fantastic in the role, conveying a devastating mix of uncontrollable power, confusion and sadness, all the while hinting at the Jean Grey trapped underneath. She is excellent at using body language and glances to display emotions. Some of the Phoenix scenes are heartbreaking and serve to bring other characters together. One cannot help but feel the film's nostalgia for the characters' much happier times.

The only thing that could have improved the film is... well, more of it. Considering all the storylines, it should have been at least 20 minutes longer. I would have wanted to see more of some mutants' personal developments -- particularly Jean Grey/Phoenix, Pyro and Angel -- instead of seeing others, like Callisto and Arclight, merely for effects.

Finally, I appreciate Ratner staying on course with the series' fusion of action and metaphor. Thankfully, he does not go overboard with action and CGI, choosing to keep the focus on the human component. This part of the films gives them their soul and Ratner understands that.

This movie is a wonderful conclusion to one of the best trilogies ever made, and yet another hopeful metaphor of tolerance for our dysfunctional world.

8/10

Summer Review #2 -- The Da Vinci Code

Once in a while, a film comes out that gets so many people riled up, you simply have to check it out. I have wanted to see The Da Vinci Code for a while, since I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I have to admit, I am one of approximately five people who have not read the novel yet, but I will also say that the film made me want to read it VERY soon.


**SPOILERS AHEAD**


Symbology professor and author Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) is summoned by the French police to the scene of a gruesome crime. The Louvre curator Jacques Saunière (Jean-Pierre Marielle) was murdered and the clues at the scene point to Leonardo Da Vinci's works. Along with cryptologist Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou) and his old mentor Sir Leigh Teabing (Sir Ian McKellen), Langdon starts deciphering a riddle that ultimately leads to ancient secrets of Christianity, which the Catholic church wants to protect at any cost.

The story presents some fascinating ideas. The idea that Jesus Christ had a lineage and that the meaning of the Holy Grail could be different from what we think we know are enough to get many people riled up and were enough to stir controversy months before the film was released. Even the thought that Christ was - gasp! - a mere mortal always incites angry protests in religious groups. I am presuming that all of the film's ideas were taken directly from the novel, in which case I applaud Dan Brown for taking familiar theories and turning them upside down. The story dares to ask the question 'what if?' in regards to a subject that is touchy for many people, and this is exactly what an engaging work should do.

I thought that the film was well directed and written, albeit with one or two dramatic glances too many near the end. The screenplay by Ron Howard's frequent collaborator Akiva Goldsman reveals the surprise elements of the story in a very subtle manner and keeps us guessing with every clue. The cast is good in their roles, particularly Paul Bettany as the murderous monk Silas and Sir Ian McKellen as Teabing. Bettany portrays to perfection his character's blind faith in his order, Opus Dei. Silas disregards and mutilates himself for a cause he never questions, suffering for the past he never doubts. McKellen's Teabing is passionate and almost fanatical; I held my breath during his monologue about the early history of Christianity. I did not think Hanks and Tautou had much chemistry, which was a bit of a hindrance to the film's dynamics. Hanks is pretty convincing as Langdon, though, while Tautou only needs those big, dark eyes to express the emotional turbulence her character is going through. I should also add that the character of Sophie is a wonderful female character -- very intelligent, quick-thinking and graceful -- and that I hope to learn even more about her in the novel.

The story itself was what I loved the most about this film. These ideas are the stuff of discussion, not of foaming-at-the-mouth lectures. Frankly, I have never and will never understand why people get offended over stories that do not match their views of the world. The Da Vinci Code makes us re-examine religious history with its clever concepts. Why would we not do that? Personally, I see the Bible as a collection of inspiring stories for us to interpret, not a folder of unwavering facts for people to argue over. Furthermore, the Catholic church is certainly a powerful enough institution to protect any secrets it may have. Whether or not there are any secrets to guard, we can rest assured that the Church not only possesses the resources to do so, but also the fierce will to do what is necessary to preserve its immense power.

8/10

X-Blogthing!!

You Are Cyclops

Dedicated and responsible, you will always remain loyal to your cause. You are a commanding leader - after all, you can kill someone just by looking at them. Power: force beams from your eyes

Which of the X-Men Are You?