Weekly Review -- Hopefully the Final chapter

Final Destination 3 (2006) -- One thing we can say about sequels is that they are usually inferior to the original film, save for some critically acclaimed examples, like The Empire Strikes Back or X2: X-Men United. As for third installments, we often wonder why they were conceived in the first place, since they often feel like merely milking the story for profit. I was pleasantly surprised by this James Wong film, which contains enough gore and suspense to appease the fans of the series and casual horror fans, while telling an engaging story. While at an amusement park with her friends, high school senior Wendy (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) has a premonition about a doomed rollercoaster ride. Panicked, she convinces most of them to skip the ride, which eventually veers off course and kills a group of people from her school, including her best friend and boyfriend. Soon, Wendy and her best friend's boyfriend Kevin (Ryan Merriman) realize that Death is not about to let them off the hook and that the people who abandoned the ride are starting to die in their order of seating. And what unnerving, disgusting deaths they are. The tanning salon scene can force anyone to re-think their quest for bronze beauty, while the gym scene makes you squirm before making you jump right out of your seat. The film makes great use of coincidences and ordinary occurrences that everyone takes for granted, but that can lead to fulfilling an inevitable fate. Winstead has the girl-next-door look, which makes her relatable, and is able to turn up the hysterical fear in a flash. Merriman is convincingly confused as Kevin, while two of the best characters, Goth philosophers Ian (Chris Lemche) and Erin (Alexz Johnson), deserved more screen time. The simplistic approach to the story makes the film incomparably more effective than the overly convoluted 2003 sequel. One of the two gripes I have is about using September 11 attacks for justifying the plot. I know it was not done out of malicious intent, but these events do not belong in a slasher film. Another problem I had was with the dialogues between Wendy and Kevin. The two characters spend too much time pondering the what if's and talking exposition, instead of investigating the incidents more. I liked the ending, as well as the cheeky use of music in the film. Overall, Final Destination 3 provides a satisfying ending to the series. I only hope the series remains a trilogy, since I would hate to see this great story idea driven into the ground.

7/10

Weekly Review, pt. 2 -- Royal Royale

Casino Royale (2006) -- One of the most anticipated films of 2006, Casino Royale was surrounded by controversy months before it was released. All of the production's aspects were being criticized, unfairly and in advance. Daniel Craig, who was chosen to be the new James Bond, was taking a beating from the critics long before taking a beating from the film's villains. Then one trailer was released; then another; and, this weekend, the film.

I have already mentioned on this blog how much I was looking forward to seeing Casino Royale. Every clip I saw and every trailer I watched only made me believe that Craig was the right choice. The film further confirmed my belief.

This man, ladies and gentlemen, is James Bond.

The new 007 adventure starts with Bond's inauguration into the elite 00 club. After a nearly botched mission in Africa, M (Judi Dench) gives Bond a new task. He has to win a high stakes game of poker at the Casino Royale in Montenegro against known banker and terrorist aide, Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), who desperately needs the money to cover his debt to African arms dealers. To keep an eye on the funds, M sends Treasury officer Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), who strikes Bond as a nuissance at first, but who he then starts falling for, and hard. The game soon puts both Bond and Vesper in danger, with Le Chiffre resorting to various dirty tricks in order to win.

This is a stunning Bond film, with incredible action sequences and clever writing. The Madagascar scene takes your breath away and the airport scene is equally exciting. Contrary to previous Bond films, Casino Royale is big on dialogue, character psychology and relationships, rather than one-liners and action gimmicks. The scenes with Bond and Vesper are full of depth and charm, her wise-yet-innocent demeanor complimenting his cool indifference, their dialogues creating some of the best moments in Bond history. A particularly moving scene comes to mind, but I do not want to spoil it for anyone; you have to discover it for yourselves. The casino scenes show the determination shared by Bond and Le Chiffre, while distinguishing between Le Chiffre's icy ambition and Bond's unrelenting awareness of his assignment.

As for Daniel Craig, he is Bond, plain and simple. We believe his Bond can seduce a woman one moment, but also believe that he can kill a man in cold blood two minutes later. Craig's Bond is a ruthless assassin and multifaceted spy, who loses his heart and almost his life, all the while keeping his focus on the mission. Apart from having rugged good looks and charisma, Craig is one hell of an actor, having the range required to depict Bond's attitude toward his job, his cocky aloofness and his inner conflicts.

The rest of the cast is also well chosen. Green is disarming as Vesper and shares appealing chemistry with Craig. Mikkelsen's Le Chiffre is a truly threatening villain. As they say, the most dangerous man is the one who has nothing to lose, and Le Chiffre is on the edge in every way. Dench's M has some lively exchanges with Craig's often rebellious Bond. Jeffrey Wright provides reliability as Felix Leiter and I hope to see more of him in future installments. Finally, I cannot leave out Sebastien Foucan, who plays terrorist Mollaka in the film, and whose Parkour acrobatics make for the most innovative physical discipline I have seen lately.

Casino Royale is a fantastic 007 debut for Craig and a memorable re-launch of the secret agent series.

10/10

Weekly Review, pt. 1 -- Heart trouble, computer trouble...

Heart (1999) -- This absorbing British drama pulls out all the stops to show the meaning of coincidence, fate and jealousy. After the harrowing opening sequence -- one of the best openers I have seen in a while -- we meet Gary and Tess Ellis (Christopher Eccleston and Kate Hardie). Following an intense argument concerning Tess's possible adultery, Gary suffers a heart attack. He soon receives the heart of Sean McCardle (Matthew Rhys), a teenager killed in a motorcycle accident, but Gary's problems are not over. Apart from him not fully trusting Tess yet, the couple are now being nearly stalked by Maria McCardle (the outstanding Saskia Reeves), Sean's grieving mother, who seems to have developed a fixation with Gary as a link between her and her dead son. While Maria insinuates herself into the Ellises' lives, Gary discovers that Tess's affair with writer Alex (Rhys Ifans) is not finished... Heart is one of those films that are best understood if the viewer reads between the lines. Underneath the dramatic thriller facade lies a touching study of human emotions, relationships, instincts and parental love. Reeves is at once endearing and disturbed as Maria, doing an amazing job with her eyes, voice and body language. Throughout the film, her Maria walks a fine line between breaking down in tears and experiencing a psychotic episode, with the audience not being able to even imagine the hell she is going through. Hardie's Tess is torn between the desire to save her marriage, her attraction to Alex and the awareness that Gary's jealousy and her pity for his condition are the two things driving them further and further away from each other. Eccleston gives a genuine and not always likeable performance, making Gary as sympathetic as possible. At first, Gary's wish to keep Tess appears to be motivated by his love for her, but it quickly escalates into blind, selfish frenzy. Interestingly, the two characters with the strongest bond, Gary and Maria, also share obsessions with their loved ones; however, while we understand Maria's motivation, we realize that Gary's is far less noble and more destructive. The film parallels these two characters and resolves their predicaments in an appropriate and unpredictable climax. The only negative aspect of the film is its length and lack of character development. I wish we could have known more about Gary's history, as well as Tess's position as career woman and obvious breadwinner. I believe that a further examination of these traits would have enriched the film's view of jealousy and its outlook on the Ellises' marital anti-bliss. I also have to mention the film's soundtrack and say that songs by Dionne Warrick and Sneaker Pimps have never been used in a better context. Heart is a drama that could have provided a deeper analysis of its themes, but that still remains an effective slice of distorted lives.

8/10


Pulse (2001) -- Horror films with a philosophical outlook are a rare breed; horror films with an existentialist slant are practically impossible to find. This Kiyoshi Kurosawa gem is a philosophical treatise of our society's flaws, cleverly masquerading as a supernatural horror film. After her friend Taguchi (Kenji Mizuhashi) commits suicide, Michi (Kumiko Aso) and her friends face strange occurrences enveloping Tokyo. People start acting strangely and disappearing after meddling with a web site that promises ghost encounters. At the same time, Ryosuke (Haruhiko Katô), an economics student and computer layman, has a brush with the site while trying to get on-line. Scared and confused, he seeks help from Harue (Koyuki), a computer lab assistant at his school. After meeting the grad student who designed a screensaver that is eerily linked to the ghost site, Ryosuke is close to solving the mystery, but is it too late?


**SPOILERS AHEAD**


The film is heavy on criticism of the Internet culture that has permeated our society to its core; the design of the screensaver itself scolds the 21st century human condition. The random disappearances and the idea of the dead coming into our world through the Internet are a symbolical reminder as to why technology can never come close to, let alone replace, human contact.


**END OF SPOILERS**


Director Kurosawa is a true master at creating suspense. Pulse does not make you jump even once; however, it is the wait for that moment that generates the tension. The appearance of the ghosts and the music that follows these sequences will send chills down your spine; you will never look at calls for help in the same light, either. Kurosawa uses drawn-out shots and subtle camerawork to create uneasiness that will make even the toughest audience members quiver. The film also boasts a great use of locales, turning a library and even a supermarket into places to dread. My only gripe is the lack of usage of the threatening, sterile computer lab, but I am guessing that the director did not want to be obvious, considering the role of the Internet in the film. Overall, this horror film pays attention to its dialogue and perspective on life much more than many others. It is a slow-moving, metaphor-oriented piece that rewards the viewers' patience, making one re-think the value that other people bring to their life.

9/10


Steal (2002) -- There have been numerous films in recent years that featured extreme sports and that flopped disgracefully. This is mostly due to the style-over-substance affliction that much of this sub-genre suffers from, with filmmakers paying more attention to the stunts and action sequences than any kind of character development. In this Gérard Pirès offering, a group of young bandits, led by Slim (Stephen Dorff), executes well-planned heists with an extra serving of adrenaline on top. After an unexpected $20 million score in bonds after their latest heist, the gang decide to quit while they are ahead; however, they are blackmailed into one last job by the mob. Clichéd characters and bad dialogues are this film's main problems; occasionally, one gets the feeling the filmmakers did not even make an effort, but simply wanted to spew out an actioner for their own indulgence. Dorff always brings intensity to his roles and, based on her work on the recent "Commander in Chief", Natasha Henstridge is a pretty competent actress who is able to make a quality role her own. They both deserve much better material than this xXx wannabe; at least that film had spunk and a charismatic principal character. The only highlights here are the well-filmed opening scene and bridge scene. Steal is the cinematic equivalent of confectionery -- glittery and stylish, it dissolves quickly and fails to leave a lasting memory.

5/10

Casino Royale breaks records!!!!

On its first day of release in Great Britain, Casino Royale has earned more than any other James Bond film. Here is a link to the Yahoo article:

http://movies.yahoo.com/mv/news/va/20061116/116374224800.html

Great news! I am seeing it for the weekend and I am over the moon about this film. It looks fantastic.

Weekly Review -- Prestigious in every way

The Prestige (2006) -- A cinematic riddle with striking twists is how one could describe Christopher Nolan's new film. The Prestige -- named after the final act of an illusion -- tells the story of two Victorian era magicians, Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale), whose friendship turns into rivalry after an on-stage tragedy. With engineer John Cutter's (Michael Caine) and Dr. Nikola Tesla's (David Bowie) assistance, Angier schemes to overshadow Borden's popularity; meanwhile, Borden's zeal may cost him his relationship with wife Sarah (Rebecca Hall). Each man becomes obsessed with stealing another's secrets and proving who the better magician is, and each one's life takes a turn for the worse. The non-linear, dizzying storytelling style is a trademark of Nolan's, and it fits like a glove with the film's themes of trickery, perception and blind obsession. Jackman and Bale make for a thrilling duo, both of their characters seething with envy and hostility, but also an underlying hint of admiration for one another's skill. Caine lends strong support as business-oriented Cutter, while Bowie makes an eccentric turn as conflicted Tesla. Hall is a discovery as Sarah, whose outlook on life clashes with Alfred's and whose character evolution is gradual and dramatic. Special mention needs to go to Wally Pfister's gorgeous cinematography, which makes the Colorado scenes appear like sepia postcards, but transforms its tones into rustic nostalgia for the London sequences. As for the twists, I thought they were fresh and unpredictable. The story is set up as a puzzle that keeps piecing its details up to the logical conclusion. Just like Inside Man, which struck me with its ingenious screenplay, The Prestige is a film that requires concentration and offers intelligent resolutions to its questions, which are rare qualities in today's films.

10/10

Weekly Review -- One chemist and a few scares later

Formula 51 (2001) -- Gangster comedies have been a very popular cinematic sub-genre since the 1990s. From Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels to Circus, audiences have embraced crime films with shady characters, quirky jokes and hilarious twists. This Ronny Yu offering is quite entertaining, with great characters and cast, but not up to par with some previous similarly-themed films. After a showdown with his greedy drug dealer boss, chemist Elmo McElroy (Samuel L. Jackson) travels to England in order to sell his "Formula 51", a formula for the most powerful drug that ever existed. However, the showdown did not go as well as Elmo hoped. His boss, Lizard (Meat Loaf), has survived and is sending his favorite assassin, Dakota Parker (Emily Mortimer), to bring Elmo back and kill everyone he is associating with. Upon arriving in Liverpool, Elmo finds himself in the company of Felix DeSouza (Robert Carlyle), local wheeler and dealer and Dakota's ex. Soon, they are all entangled in a war over the formula, with Lizard on one side, local arms dealer Iki (Rhys Ifans) on the other and some eager detectives (Sean Pertwee and Michael Starke) on everyone's tail. Jackson brings his trademark cool to the role of Elmo and has appealing chemistry with Carlyle, whose Felix is a sympathetic small-time crook, comfortable in his little niche. Mortimer makes for a fetching assassin with a twinkle in her eye, while Ifans's Iki is flamboyant and calculating at the same time. The main problem with the film is that the screenplay occasionally tries so hard to be hip, that it neglects its own humor and story. Some jokes are very stale, while some subplots, like the detectives and the Dakota-Felix storyline, could have been fine-tuned and more detailed. Still, Formula 51 is a good effort, with sufficiently original characters and over-the-top action to engage the viewer. It provides laughs, good dialogue and an interesting ensemble cast with a good -- pun intended -- chemistry.

6/10

After Midnight (1989) -- I first heard about this film on an iMDB message board. The first thing that needs to be said is that the cheesy DVD cover art does not do the film justice, and this remark refers to both poster versions -- graphic designers, take note. Poster art aside, I found the film very enjoyable and suspenseful. Professor Edward Derek (Ramy Zada) is famous for his unorthodox teaching methods, which come in handy for his new class, "The Psychology of Fear". He invites his class to his mansion for a scary night of storytelling. The first story the co-eds tell is about Joan (Nadine Van der Velde) and Kevin (MarcMcClure), a couple whose car breaks down near a supposedly haunted house. The second story involves four teenage girls (Penelope Sudrow, Tracy Wells, Judie Aronson and Monique Salcido) who end up in a lot of trouble during a night on the town. The third story is about an answering service operator (Marg Helgenberger) receiving calls from a stalker (Alan Rosenberg) while working the night shift alone. The bad aspects of the film are the mostly amateurish acting, apart from Helgenberger and Rosenberg, and the occasionally strained and hokey writing. Even these flaws can be forgiven, though, if one views the stories as spoken narratives aware of their raw quality. The twist, which was original at the time, today seems dated and done a million times over. However, the stories themselves are frightening because of their simplicity. Lunatics exist and accidents happen, and the stories perfectly illustrate this fact, particularly the third tale. The wrap-up story is also pretty convincing, although not nearly as scary or, dare I say, realistic as the other ones. It is a great film to watch on a stormy night and it will make you think twice about what exactly scares you.

7/10

28 Weeks Later -- Spring 2007!!

The first look at 28 Weeks Later is out! This film, of course, is the sequel to the 2002 apocalyptica hit 28 Days Later. I had posted the entire link, but, for some reason, it is wreaking havoc with my blog settings, so I had to remove it. In any case, you can find the clips at http://www.foxatomic.com.

28 Days Later happens to be one of my favorite films. It is a horror masterpiece with numerous psychological layers to it and incredible, relatable characters. When I first heard the news about a sequel, I had the 'but the first one is perfect on its own' reaction. Then I found out that neither Cillian Murphy nor Naomie Harris were going to be in the sequel, which represented an apocalypse in itself. However, I liked what I saw in this video. It seems that the filmmakers did not mess with the guerilla-style atmosphere of the first film or with the low-budget look, and the cast seems well chosen. I am looking forward to it. Enjoy!

A big thank you to Deferenz, who posted the link on iMDB.