Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 28th, 2003
Well, the era of mass market “indie” films is upon us. In spite of its manufactured artfulness, "One Hour Photo" does have appeal: Robin Williams portrays a stereotypical damaged post-modernist psychopath with a flourish of reality that does him credit as an actor, and writer/director Mark Romanek is a fresh face on the Hollywood scene. Supporting cast Paul Kim and David Moreland step out of Wal-Mart and onto the screen – spectacular characterizations. Connie Neilsen and Michael Vartan, however, give at best stilted ...erformances as the objects of Robin William’s obsession. Which brings us to a synopsis…
Robin Williams plays “Sy the photo guy,” who is a “SavMart” employee that’s developed an unhealthy obsession with a particular family whose film he develops. Without spoiling the film, Sy ends up seeking to exact justice on the father, attempts to befriend the child, and generally goes nuts as I’ve always expected someone at a big box discount retailer to eventually do. The upshot is that a creative premise (the photo guy doing arm’s length stalking) is bludgeoned to death by a screen play that leaves little to the imagination, and plot twists that are so “done” and clichéd as to completely erase any credibility the movie had. The film is worth seeing for Robin William’s work – he is fantastic at humanizing Sy in sad and pitiful ways, and its one of the film’s greatest ironies that damaged Sy is the must “human” thing among the sterile ranks of SavMart.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 26th, 2003
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Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 23rd, 2003
Not since Scarface with Al Pacino has there been a film that captured the world of the drug lord as well as Blow. The style is reminiscent of Goodfellas with its character-driven narrative and snapshot photography. Taken from the real-life story of George Jung who is still serving a 30-year sentence for drug trafficking, Blow explores the evolution of cocaine as the drug of choice for the American elite. Ted Demme manages to give us an honest portrayal of Jung that does not glorify or justify his evil deeds. Yet, the film does manage to evoke some sympathy for the man. Johnny Depp and a terrific cast, including Paul Reubens (a.k.a. Pee Wee Herman) deliver in every scene.
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Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 19th, 2003
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Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 18th, 2003
Why X-Men 1.5? This 2-Disc special edition re-release is set to coincide with the theatrical release of X2, the X-Men sequel. The 1.5 release is set up to be sort of a Director’s Cut of the original X-Men film. This new version has allowed for the film to be viewed with a number of deleted scenes to be branched into the film (not seamlessly... you have to hit enter on your remote to view the scenes). I am sure you know the premise, but here is a recap:
"Marvel's classic comic book comes to li...e in this exciting big-screen adaptation. The story focuses on the efforts of a well-intentioned professor, Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart). By pulling together a group of superhuman mutants, Professor X hopes to prove to the world that these genetically enhanced beings are not the dangerous, evil villains humanity claims them to be. When Magneto (Ian McKellen), an angry mutant, vows to eradicate human existence, it's up to the X-Men to save the day and keep the world united." – Fox
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 18th, 2003
You almost expect to see Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci at any time during State Of Grace. The influence of Martin Scorsese is everywhere, from the tight shots on character interactions to the slight angles during the more violent scenes. Even the clever use of source music more often than Ennio Morricone’s subtle score is reminiscent of Goodfellas. The prize of this feature is the cast. Ed Harris, Sean Penn, and Gary Oldman add much needed tension and realism to a mediocre and predictable script. Stereotypes and clichés abound. The interwoven elements of violence and pageantry in the film’s climax conjure the ghost of Fannuci from The Godfather Part II.
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Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 17th, 2003
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 16th, 2003
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Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 13th, 2003
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FearDotCom or Fear Dot Com depending on where you look is likely one of the first ghost stories of the information age. In my opinion it’s long overdue. While there will be other probably better efforts to update the classic haunting tale I found this to be a relatively solid start. The film borrows heavily from just about every sub-genre in the world of horror. The anatomical display is right out of the German film Anatomy. There are a number of Tim Burton elements present in the Elfman-like score to the dark nature of the cinematography. The plot is almost identical to the later released Ring. The acting borders on B grade fare, but the atmosphere is actually quite effective.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 8th, 2003
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