A writer, reloaded

Some children are bad. Really bad. And in the case of the movie Oprhan, Esther is dreadful. Worse than Damien from the Omen even.

An adopted child from Estonia ( a small town near France ), she wins the hearts of a family who recently lost their own daughter.

Simply put, Esther is pure evil incarnate, but everything about her wickedness makes sense, given the back story. Orphan is a good, solid thriller. A worthwhile movie experience, though not for the weak of hearts. The first scene is possibly the most disturbing ever rendered on celluloid. After that it turns wicked, and I could not look away.

To those who champion the case of children in marriage and the value of adoption–stay the hell away from this film. It’s meant to entertain, not sell one on the merits or challenges of procreation, directly or by proxy.

What works:

1) The audio / visual synergy is particularly masterful. Sounds enhance the tension without calling attention to either.

2) Plot. Tight, well-delivered and believable.

3) Cast. A mix of unknowns and established actors, it’s a perfect blend. Esther ( Osabelle Fuhrman )is top shelf.

What needs improvement:

1) Yes, adoption proponents have much to hate about this film. I sympathize. But let it go. It’s a movie.

Verdict:

DVD purchase or matinee.

Mom always said, “If you can’t be nice, don’t say anything.” I took her advice to heart by ignoring it when writing this review. Sorry, Mom.

There is little to say about Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen and less of it is nice. So let’s get puppy dog tails and ribbons out of the way, first. Hint: It won’t take long.

Without a doubt, the special effects, CGI robot enactments are incredible. Never for a second did I doubt the robots were cutting edge and believable. Secondly, Megan Fox has amazing cleavage and it’s constantly on display. Fantastic.

Now for the challenges working against this movie. Oh, where to start. Well, how about with the actual story? At the end of the day, the average five year old amped up one Mountain Dew and Sugar Smacks could have written much the same fare. Perhaps even better. See, the main driver of the movie is, yep, amazing special effects and Megan Fox cleavage. Maybe that cleavage is really a computer slight of hand.

And of Megan Fox, no offense but besides the squeaky Pam Anderson voice and tanned body, there is little going on there aesthetically much less visually. Yes, survey says: vapid and annoying. I’d prefer that left her tattoos visible on screen, rather than automagically removing them. Those are kind of interesting and suggest she has the traces of a personality. Somewhere out there. Or is it in there?

Despite the weak story and eh cast, Transformers 2 is a watchable flick, and I neither fault anyone for liking it nor am mystified by its break neck box office performance. After all the robots are amazing. But giving this movie a pass solely for CGI is like giving top marks to a porno because the “actors’ have nice lips. In the end, Transformers 2 is a McDonalds Value Meal straight to the brain. With a hot apple pie.

Either work for the patron for a little while. Then the stomachache starts.

Verdict: DVD rental or cable. Keep another movie handy at the ready for immediately afterwards. Wash away the taste. And the cleavage.

Director Gavid Hood translated the lore of Mr. “It’s all about me” Wolverine into an action packed movie that proves how there is great depth to the indestructible and slightly hairy hero. Being a bit ignorant of the full arc, I can not assert whether the story honored the tradition of the comic. What I do know is that the movie delivers entertainment. Loads of it.

The story pits brother against brother, mutant against mutant, mutant against government, woman against mutant. It’s a love story, but it’s more than that. It’s an action flick, but it’s more than that. It is Wolverine.

Action. Adventure. Ass-kicking. Smells like a hit summer flick.

What works:

1) Cast: Dead on, even though Liev Schreiber and Balthazar Getty ( who is not in the movie ) could also be Logan’s brother.

2) Pacing: Effective. The right mix of quiet time and elbow strikes.

3) Solid and believable back story makes this tale work.

4) Accessible: No prior knowledge of the X-Men or Wolverine is necessary.

Verdict: Theater full-price or DVD purchase.

A well constructed horror film works in any language. Creepy is after all, creepy. Written and filmed in Spanish and set in South America, The Orphanage proves that precept mightily.

It’s a simple premise–a woman purchases the orphanage she grew up in as a child for the purpose of raising a few physically challenged children. But then things start going wrong. Strange, unsettling events. Her adopted son’s imaginary friends suddenly don’t seem so imaginary. An intruder runs away from the shed with a shovel in the middle of the night. Her son disappears without a trace. Less than twenty minutes in, my poor Spanish skills stopped being an obstacle; the narrative took me away.

The Orphanage is terrifying. Yet the movie also enlightens, because there is a point to the tale–a reason for the madness. Better still, the characters follow their internal script in a believable and engaging fashion. And for all the terror, in a strange sense, it ends on a very bittersweet note. Very satisfying.
What works:

1) Direction. Creative and expert use of narrative story-telling. Shot after shot added to the tension.

2) Story arc. Original and entertaining.

3) Scare factor: If the intensity could be measured on a tachometer, the film continually red lines.

Challenges:

1) Language barrier. Since it is shot in Spanish, reading the subtitles took some adjustment. However, the awkwardness quickly passes.

Verdict: Catch in the theater, full price. Or DVD purchase.

Jack Nicholson still has the unflinching ability to make me laugh hard enough to spew water from my mouth. Fortunately, as with another Nicholson opus, Something’s Gotta Give, there was no one in the seat immediately north.

The Bucket List is his latest film, and it’s a tour de force. A touching comedy about a serious issue, this film ponders the question, if you knew when you were going to die, what would you do about it? And I’m delighted to say, the answer is live every second with purpose.

Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson are roommates in a hospital Jack owns. Together as they battle their cancer into remission, the shared experience forges an unexpected friendship. When Jack discovers a discarded list of items Morgan wanted to accomplish before he dies, he convinces Morgan to not only finish writing the list, but do as many of the things as they can immediately.

And so the two elderly cancer patients skydive, race classic cars, go on Safari, and travel the world, taking the audience on a great ride and a heartbreaking conclusion.
The Bucket List is funny and moving and has a great message. Above all it’s a great film.

What works:

1) Cast. Come on it’s Uncle Jack and Captain Morgan! What more does a film need?

2) Story Arc. Believable and well-crafted.

3) Rob Reiner can direct a great film. After nearly twenty years of half-ass flops, this is the narrative bookend to Stand By Me.

What needs improvement:

1) Maybe you have not seen The Bucket List yet. Yeah, fix that!

Verdict: Theater full price and buy the DVD.

The state of the American box office lately straddles the line between tragic and unfortunate. Besides the Bourne Ultimatum, Transformers and Disturbia this year’s releases were–ahem, dare I say it–crappy and uninspired.

And so for much of 2007, I gave up on seeing movies in the theater. DVD’s were cheaper and more convenient, plus spared me from the hordes of whack-a-dus treating a darkened room with reclining seats as if they were watching the Super Bowl on a La-Z-Boy in their living room. Hence the paucity of movie reviews this year.
I set this malaise aside for American Gangster and was not only entertained, I was wowed.

Frank Lucas, a criminal mastermind who came to power at the tail end of the Vietnam War smuggling pure heroin from the Far East and unloaded smack twice as pure as the competition on the streets of Harlem. He made a lot of money, wrecked countless lives, and eventually spent 15 years in a federal prison, turning State’s evidence against former cronies.

But Frank Lucas was also a momma’s boy, who attended church every Sunday with his family, and handed out turkeys at the Holidays. He bought his mother a house the size of a football field and ran with dignitaries and sports legends. Plus his Momma chewed him out in front of other people.

Richie Roberts, a detective no one would work with because he ignored conventional wisdom on tracking the flow of narcotics. If there was anyone who could take down a drug dealer above the Mafia, it was his team. The work took a toll on his private life; he was an absent husband and father. These were complex men on a collision course. Which makes a film based on true events of his life so interesting.What works about American Gangster:

1) Casting. Absolutely critical. If it was anyone but Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, this movie would not work as well.

2) Pacing. Never a dull moment.

3) Story Arc. Though the director takes liberties with actual events, the dramatic license pays out handsomely. The conflict sizzles on the screen.

Recommendation: If you like crime movies, this is a must, plus own on DVD.