THE LAST KISS (DVD)
The latest offering from director ? and writer Paul Haggis (surprising - he must have co-wrote this fable about extra-marital affairs with THE OBVIOUS GUY.) What starts as sort of a cool young adults in love turns into a drawn out will he fuck around on her - will she take him back - kind of movie and I mean that in every sense. There are nearly 4 relationships here (all well played and acted by some really people - it's the writing that lets this film down - and some really obvious direction.) I really like Zach Braff, but by the time this is in it's 3rd leg you're ready to move on. This disc also possesses possibly the most self-congratulatory set of extras I've ever heard. There are segments like "The musings behind our favorite scenes, Final Thoughs - and it goes on - there's 8 extras - even after FINAL THOUGHTS. It's a long 90 minutes. For fans of light romance - go for it. Zach Braff fans - again, he is the star and he is quite good. But this film that wants to be everything to everybody only walks away with a...
Grade: C -
INDIAN SUMMER (DVD)
A painfully bad film with some first class actors in a script that appears to have been written by THE OBVIOUS GUY. It's about these counselors coming back together to the camp where they all grew up. It's a funny concept ripe with possiblities that this lame film flitters away like water off a duck's back. The worst part of this is that I fell asleep while this was on and I kept hearing snatches of dialog and thinking I was watching a different, better film, only awaking to find that I was still stuck in INDIAN SUMMER hell.
Grade: D
Don't ask me how I know this, but apparantly, Superbowls are never played on Wednesdays.
Have you seen the promo for FREEDOM WRITERS that has been popping up on cable - the movie about Hilary Swank inspiring young black students to write? You should see the promo - it's this crazy puff piece about how Hilary meshed with all the young black kids and they show endless shots of the kids and Hilary "vibing." Don't eat before watching this.
ALI G IN DA HOUSE (HBO)
Ali G's first film before BORAT (actually - he had already shot Borat and decided it didn't work at all. He called Larry Charles of SEINFELD and ENTOURAGE fame to direct the 2nd version - which was a blockbuster. I wonder if the aborted BORAT will ever see the light of day.) Anyway - this film sucked - amateurish, badly concieved - with nary a laugh. Ali G is also the most boorish character in Sasha's cannon, and this incarnation is no exception. It's sort of funny with unsuspecting people and hidden cameras - with a script and actors - it's intolerable.
Grade: D
EXTRAS (HBO)
Watched the Bowie ep and then the Daniel Radcliffe ep. Both great, and this is turning into a most excellent series, if a bit more over the top then THE OFFICE BBC ever was. I think there are only 2 left - and then...I think that's the end. This is not worthy of the xmas 2 parter that concluded THE OFFICE - but I sure like it and will miss it when it's gone. Ricky is always great, but Stephan Merchant seriously shines here.
Grade: A
The latest offering from director ? and writer Paul Haggis (surprising - he must have co-wrote this fable about extra-marital affairs with THE OBVIOUS GUY.) What starts as sort of a cool young adults in love turns into a drawn out will he fuck around on her - will she take him back - kind of movie and I mean that in every sense. There are nearly 4 relationships here (all well played and acted by some really people - it's the writing that lets this film down - and some really obvious direction.) I really like Zach Braff, but by the time this is in it's 3rd leg you're ready to move on. This disc also possesses possibly the most self-congratulatory set of extras I've ever heard. There are segments like "The musings behind our favorite scenes, Final Thoughs - and it goes on - there's 8 extras - even after FINAL THOUGHTS. It's a long 90 minutes. For fans of light romance - go for it. Zach Braff fans - again, he is the star and he is quite good. But this film that wants to be everything to everybody only walks away with a...
Grade: C -
INDIAN SUMMER (DVD)
A painfully bad film with some first class actors in a script that appears to have been written by THE OBVIOUS GUY. It's about these counselors coming back together to the camp where they all grew up. It's a funny concept ripe with possiblities that this lame film flitters away like water off a duck's back. The worst part of this is that I fell asleep while this was on and I kept hearing snatches of dialog and thinking I was watching a different, better film, only awaking to find that I was still stuck in INDIAN SUMMER hell.
Grade: D
Don't ask me how I know this, but apparantly, Superbowls are never played on Wednesdays.
Have you seen the promo for FREEDOM WRITERS that has been popping up on cable - the movie about Hilary Swank inspiring young black students to write? You should see the promo - it's this crazy puff piece about how Hilary meshed with all the young black kids and they show endless shots of the kids and Hilary "vibing." Don't eat before watching this.
ALI G IN DA HOUSE (HBO)
Ali G's first film before BORAT (actually - he had already shot Borat and decided it didn't work at all. He called Larry Charles of SEINFELD and ENTOURAGE fame to direct the 2nd version - which was a blockbuster. I wonder if the aborted BORAT will ever see the light of day.) Anyway - this film sucked - amateurish, badly concieved - with nary a laugh. Ali G is also the most boorish character in Sasha's cannon, and this incarnation is no exception. It's sort of funny with unsuspecting people and hidden cameras - with a script and actors - it's intolerable.
Grade: D
EXTRAS (HBO)
Watched the Bowie ep and then the Daniel Radcliffe ep. Both great, and this is turning into a most excellent series, if a bit more over the top then THE OFFICE BBC ever was. I think there are only 2 left - and then...I think that's the end. This is not worthy of the xmas 2 parter that concluded THE OFFICE - but I sure like it and will miss it when it's gone. Ricky is always great, but Stephan Merchant seriously shines here.
Grade: A
WHITE RAPPER SHOW (VH1)
More engaging then you'd think. The little blonde girl was strange but really empathetic. The hot thing, Misfit, had the bod, the looks, the voice - but no passion. My pick for the winner - I'll be shocked if it's not Persia, the plus-sized rapper from the Bronx. And what about the guy who keeps screaming about "Ghetto Revival?" John Brown. He could rap, but he's also comes off half way retarded. This show might be getting better.
Grade: C +
PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE (DVD)
I saw this recently on dvd - had never seen this before. Reminded me a LOT of the Meatloaf/Steinman early days. It's based on Faust, and in this version a pop singer sells his soul to the devil to be rich and famous. Brian DePalma directed this in a crazy, frentic style. Paul Williams was sort of an interesting actor - and a fantastic singer/songwriter. Once the movie goes off the rails (about the one hour mark of a 90 minute film) - the thing you really remember is how good the music and singing was. Definitely an interesting curio and I'll probably download the CD. But the film is a bit too silly to be taken seriously. Still - it's a cult classic and it has a lot of fans out there judging by my quick parusal of the fan sites.
Grade: B -
SHOOTING SIZEMORE (Vh1)
I like this show, feel for Tom, but every episode is more or less the same.
Grade: C
EDMOND (DVD)
Written by David Mamet in the 80s and directed by Stuart Gordon of RE-ANIMATOR fame, I kind of really liked this distubing movie. The road it goes down is nothing new, from FALLING DOWN to - Oh, I don't know - we've seen it all before. A nice guy loses his cool and inhibitions and goes crazy - but the acting here by Bill Macy, Julia Stiles, Joe Montegna and a bunch of others is really good, the movie is really short and, it's kind of lurid. I liked it. A LOT.
Grade: B
More engaging then you'd think. The little blonde girl was strange but really empathetic. The hot thing, Misfit, had the bod, the looks, the voice - but no passion. My pick for the winner - I'll be shocked if it's not Persia, the plus-sized rapper from the Bronx. And what about the guy who keeps screaming about "Ghetto Revival?" John Brown. He could rap, but he's also comes off half way retarded. This show might be getting better.
Grade: C +
PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE (DVD)
I saw this recently on dvd - had never seen this before. Reminded me a LOT of the Meatloaf/Steinman early days. It's based on Faust, and in this version a pop singer sells his soul to the devil to be rich and famous. Brian DePalma directed this in a crazy, frentic style. Paul Williams was sort of an interesting actor - and a fantastic singer/songwriter. Once the movie goes off the rails (about the one hour mark of a 90 minute film) - the thing you really remember is how good the music and singing was. Definitely an interesting curio and I'll probably download the CD. But the film is a bit too silly to be taken seriously. Still - it's a cult classic and it has a lot of fans out there judging by my quick parusal of the fan sites.
Grade: B -
SHOOTING SIZEMORE (Vh1)
I like this show, feel for Tom, but every episode is more or less the same.
Grade: C
EDMOND (DVD)
Written by David Mamet in the 80s and directed by Stuart Gordon of RE-ANIMATOR fame, I kind of really liked this distubing movie. The road it goes down is nothing new, from FALLING DOWN to - Oh, I don't know - we've seen it all before. A nice guy loses his cool and inhibitions and goes crazy - but the acting here by Bill Macy, Julia Stiles, Joe Montegna and a bunch of others is really good, the movie is really short and, it's kind of lurid. I liked it. A LOT.
Grade: B
your comments are spot on this week
ReplyDeleteI hated Last Kiss. Hated it. It was a film full of miserable people doing miserable things.
ReplyDeleteand I totally agree re: Shooting Sizemore.