The Wedding Song (Movie Review)
10.23.2009 | By Namreta Kumar |
For a film that is so loaded The Wedding Song does not say a lot. Karin Albou structured the film from story to acting with an intimate design in mind. Read More
10.23.2009 | By Namreta Kumar |
For a film that is so loaded The Wedding Song does not say a lot. Karin Albou structured the film from story to acting with an intimate design in mind. Read More
10.23.2009 | By Ted Faraone |
In an extraordinary move the Spanish government have restricted “Saw VI†(not surprisingly the sixth installment in the Jigsaw horror series) to the nation’s eight theaters that are allowed to show porno. While this begs the question, “Are Spaniards really into Pay Per View?â€Â Your critic says that it is an over-the-top judgment call.
Â
Your critic entered the screening room expecting something akin to a snuff film that would arouse men who harbor violent thoughts against women. Fortunately such was not the case. However, pic contains moments that those with weak stomachs should avoid.
Â
“Saw VI†meets or exceeds all standards on a technical level. Sound recording works. Lensing is competent. Special effects don’t look expensive, but work. Editing delivers just the right amount of tension. Where it falls down is in storyline and acting. There are three thesps who turn in creditable performances: Tobin Bell, who created the role of Jigsaw John, Betsy Russell as his wife, addiction doc Jill, and Peter Outerbridge as William, a medical insurance executive who is pic’s evil capitalist. The rest, notably Costas Mandylor as crooked detective Hoffman, either sleepwalk through their roles or need to go back to acting school. In Mandylor’s case, those who remember him from TV’s “Picket Fences†will be disappointed to know that he has both gained weight and lost talent. Dialogue is subpar. Plot leaves a ton of loose ends. Most of them have to do with the question, “Why?â€
Â
While dying of a cancer for which William’s insurance company refused to cover treatment (pic is at least timely) Jigsaw John has developed a very nasty post mortem revenge plot cloaked in pseudo human decency. He sets up William, the insurance VP who refused coverage for an experimental procedure, in a catch 22. He has to save himself by killing others. Instead of building suspense, plot is an excuse to string together a series of bloody vignettes. It’s a sort of “Galaxy Quest†on acid. Such clues as exist are telegraphed. Surprises surprise without any credible setup.
Â
It is never explained why wife Jill goes along with the bloody scheme and why crooked detective Hoffman executes it. It’s those pesky loose ends….
Â
Direction on a technical level by Kevin Greutert is good. Screenplay by Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton should have been sent back for rewrites. But “Saw†is a franchise. It functions on a different plane from the rest of cinema. It has a track record at the box office and a loyal audience. Lionsgate’s marketing strategy of not showing it to crix until opening day is open to debate, but pix such as “Saw VI†tend not be affected by notices.
10.22.2009 | By Jack Rico |
Since I saw the preview I knew I was going to enjoy the animation. Usually I don’t get that feeling but ‘Astro Boy’ didn’t disappoint. The quality of the computer generated graphics was excellent, the voices were on par and the plot will make any parent tear more than once. Get ready.
The film is based on a popular manga and anime series from Osamu Tezuka. The movie tells the tale of a father (Nicolas Cage) who looses his son (Freddie Highmore) in a scientific accident and then recreates him as a super-robot. Sadly, his pain is so great he rejects him completely. The rest of the story has our hero trying to win back his father’s love.
Usually anime or manga films don’t have a lot of success in Hollywood but they do on T.V. such as Voltron, Pokemon, Speed Racer, etc… ‘Astro Boy’ is a risk to the Summit Entertainment company since the main character doesn’t have a fan base in the U.S. most of its reputation comes from Japan. I personally liked it and in my opinion you will too.
10.22.2009 | By Alex Florez |
The minute a genre becomes popular, Hollywood does its very best to milk it. To squeeze every last dime out of our pockets. And it will continue to do it as long as there continues to be an audience for it. Read More
10.20.2009 | By Jack Rico |
‘Touched,’ the movie starred and produced by Shalim Ortiz, best known for his role as Alejandro in NBC’s Heroes, has been chosen to lead the Dominican Republic Film Festival taking place in Santo Domingo from November 18th to the 22nd. Read More
10.18.2009 | By Pau Brunet |
After a long and troubled production, Warner Bros.’ Where the Wild Things Are found its supper waiting, and it was hot to the tune of $32.5 million, according to early estimates by Hollywood.com Box Office. The movie was easily the best debut for acclaimed director Spike Jonze, whose two previous films, Being John Malkovich and Adaptation, ended their domestic runs at $22.9 million and $22.5 million, respectively. All eyes will be watching to see how much Wild Things, with its reported $80 million budget, drops next weekend. The film earned a relatively solid “B+” grade from CinemaScore moviegoers, but some families may be staying away as the movie jumped only 2 percent from Friday to Saturday.
The violent thriller Law Abiding Citizen, starring Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler, attracted an adult audience and captured second place with $21.3 million. Right behind it was the box-office phenomenon of the season, Paranormal Activity, which scared up $20.2 million from a mere 760 theaters. The cult horror film, which Paramount brilliantly marketed by asking internet users to “demand” the movie to come to their town, grossed a spooky $26,530 per screen. That’s all the more impressive considering Paranormal Activity was produced on a budget of $11,000. The movie is expected to reach 1,800 theaters next weekend.
Fourth place went to the Vince Vaughn comedy Couples Retreat, which dropped a respectable 48 percent for a $17.9 million weekend. The thriller The Stepfather, a remake of the 1987 original, debuted in fifth place with $12.3 million. In limited release, Joel and Ethan Coen’s A Serious Man expanded to 82 theaters and grossed $860,257 for a hearty $10,491 per-screen average. And New York, I Love You, a collection of short films dedicated to the city, debuted with a decent $372,000 from 119 theaters. One wonders how many Gotham-loving moviegoers skipped the film to watch the Yankees play postseason baseball instead.
Overall, the weekend was up 41 percent from the same frame last year, when Max Payne opened to $17.6 million.
10.15.2009 | By Alex Florez |
The night that ‘Max put on a wolf suit and started doing one shenanigan after another’ marked the moment in my childhood when I let my imagination run wild. I’m referring to the boy in that fantasy book written by Maurice Sendak, who later finds himself in a forest ‘Where The Wild Things Are.’ Read More
10.15.2009 | By Alex Florez |
La Nana llega a tierras estadounidenses como un mensaje dentro de una botella. Silenciosamente remitido por el cineasta chileno Sebastián Silva, el mensaje es sencillo y sincero. Es un relato de mucha idiosincrasia y a la vez, un estudio de la condición humana para compartir dondequiera que la corriente lo lleve. Read More
10.15.2009 | By Jack Rico |
Odd Lot Entertainment, Lionsgate and Videocine announced today the start of pre-production on an English-language Mexican-US co-production film, entitled From Prada to Nada.
Cannes Golden Camera-winner and Alma-nominated director Fina Torres (Woman on Top, Oriana) will helm a contemporary, Latina version of Jane Austen’s classic novel “Sense and Sensibility.” Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated actress Adriana Barraza (Babel, Drag Me to Hell, Amores Perros), Camilla Belle (When A Stranger Calls), Alexa Vega (“Spy Kids” films), Wilmer Valderrama (“That 70’s Show”) and Kuno Becker (“Goal!” trilogy) are set to star in this ensemble romantic comedy.
A whimsical spin on Austen’s original, From Prada to Nada follows two spoiled sisters when they are left penniless after the sudden death of their father. Forced to move in with their estranged aunt in East Los Angeles, this is a fish-out-of-water story where the girls ultimately find romance, as well as a love for their culture. Torres co-wrote the script with Chicano dramatist Luis Alfaro (Electricidad).
Odd Lot, Lionsgate and Videocine are production, financing and distribution partners on the film. Odd Lot’s Gigi Pritzker and Linda McDonough will produce, along with Rossana Arau and Gary Gilbert.
“Fina’s decadent filmic style, combined with a socially relevant and hip story, drew together our exceptional and fresh cast,” says McDonough. Continued Prizker, “I believe in telling stories with a cultural basis, and of course I also believe in smart deals – From Prada to Nada does both.”
10.13.2009 | By Jack Rico |
Rated: PG-13 for sexual content, nudity and language.
Release Date: 2009-06-19
Starring: Pete Chiarelli
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://touchstone.movies.go.com/theproposal/
The Proposal is a formulaic romantic comedy that offers nothing remotely fresh or new while following a very predictable outcome. For some people, that’s enough. Some will think its enough, but the film is mediocre at best and hoping its anything else are just false expectations.Â
Â
Not much in the sense of a plotline – A pushy boss (Sandra Bullock) forces her young assistant (Ryan Reynolds) to marry her in order to keep her Visa status in the U.S. and avoid deportation to Canada.
Â
It should not be considered a spoiler to reveal that the two actually fall in love. After all, that’s the point of the movie, and the only reason any percentage of the population will see it. (Also, once you’ve watched the three-minute trailer, there is no point in seeing the 108-minute film – not only does the trailer tell the whole story, but it includes all the best comedic material.)
Â
The problem, which I alluded to earlier, is that the romance falls flat. It has nothing to do with chemistry. Bullock and Reynolds don’t burn up the screen, but they’re nice enough together. The movie doesn’t give us enough to go on to believe that these two have fallen in love. Those who buy it will do so because the formula demands it, not because the movie has succeeded in closing the sale.
Â
There are some funny moments, chief of which is the overhyped “nude” scene in which Margaret, fresh from the shower and wearing nothing (but with arms and hands strategically positioned so the rating can remain PG-13) collides with an equally in-the-buff Andrew. It’s more amusing than laugh-aloud funny, and it’s about as naughty as things can get without crossing the line into R territory. Most of The Proposal‘s jokes are like that in that they provoke smiles and chuckles but fail to generate any really good laughs.
Â
The cast isn’t populated by heavyweights. It has been a while since Sandra Bullock has been in the fast lane, and it’s been about a decade since she was a prime romantic comedy actress. Ryan Reynolds, who showed flashes of genuine talent in Adventureland, is back to phoning it in. (Although, to be fair, his flummoxed expression when Andrew “learns” he’s engaged to Margaret – which carries through more than one scene – is possibly the film’s funniest element.)Â
Â
The Proposal will give you a bland taste of romance this weekend. We rather you cozy up to one of the classic Tom Hank romantic comedies on DVD this weekend than endure the regurgitated, cardboard taste of The Proposal.
 Go to our film page
