REVIEW: Inland Empire [2007]

“Through the hole in the silk” David Lynch has made many “masterpieces” in his career. From the critically heralded Elephant Man, to the cult classic Blue Velvet, his debut surrealist nightmare Eraserhead, and the most recent headtrips, Lost Highway and Mulholland Dr., Lynch has always found a way to get into our psyches, grab a hold, and not let go until years after your viewing, if at all. With his latest film, Inland Empire, we are given his least accessible plot yet. As far as comprehending anything that is happening…

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REVIEW: Vacancy [2007]

“You can get another sparkler” Ah, a thriller that looks as though it could deliver on the promises of its genre. I mean, come on, we have Luke Wilson, a decent actor taking a dramatic turn, the fantastic Frank Whaley, one of the most underused character actors around, director Nimród Antal following up his critically acclaimed Kontroll, and the gorgeous Kate Beckinsale to light up the screen—I’ll admit, I would have seen Vacancy just based on her involvement alone. We have some real nice talent here and a premise, while…

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REVIEW: The Lake House [2006]

“You’re going to think I’m crazy” There are many romantic comedies that I enjoy due in most part to the laughs and fun scripts they bring. As for the romance/love genre, I would say there are very few which I would want to experience again. Without the humor, these types of films generally seem too contrived and trite, just a way of killing two hours with a result that you know is coming before you even begin watching. I shouldn’t generalize all movies of this ilk because really, it is…

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REVIEW: Hot Fuzz [2007]

“Decaffeinated?” Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright are back, with a vengeance. Their send up to all those action films—as they say containing names picked at random from two hats, one of verbs, the other of adjectives—is a fantastic melding of British humor, preposterous action sequences, gruesome horror, and a bit of romantic comedy thrown in for good measure. But then, what action flick doesn’t have a little bit of romantic chemistry between its two macho lead actors? As with Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz is not a spoof playing…

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REVIEW: The Namesake [2007]

“Out from Gogol’s overcoat” Everyone has regrets during the course of their life. Mira Nair’s new film, The Namesake, seeks to expound on that idea by showing how a family can live through, overcome, and circumvent them. Based on a well-received novel—I may pick it up to check out in the future—the story revolves around a Bengali family whose mother and father have immigrated to America to give their children an opportunity for a life with limitless possibilities. One’s heritage and culture can sometimes seem daunting to uphold, especially when…

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REVIEW: Meet the Robinsons [2007]

“Keep moving forward” The greatest compliment I can give the new Disney film Meet the Robinsons is that I never left the story wondering whose voice was lent to each character. Usually the big names come through and you start trying to figure out who is who, leaving the words and the story behind. With this film, besides the fact that I could only recognize the great self-parody from Adam West, we are given a cast of no-names, (not to disrespect Angela Bassett or Laurie Metcalf, but they had five…

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REVIEW: Slither [2006]

“She packs a boxed lunch” I think I might enjoy the comedy/horror genre more than the actual horror films they parody. James Gunn, (yes, the man who brought us what I can only imagine are fantastic scripts for Scooby Doo 1 & 2—not sure since I would never watch them), has broken into the mix with his film Slither. It appears he understands the appeal these films have and jam-packs it with gore, camp, and humor. The audience can never wonder if what transpires is unintentionally funny because they are…

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REVIEW: Disturbia [2007]

“Coffee and donuts” I understand that the new movie Disturbia is about a person who is unable to leave his room and must look out the window for entertainment. During his peeping sessions, he finds that his neighbor might be a killer and by doing so, tries to get everyone around him to help find out the truth. That premise, and that premise alone, is the ONLY thing that likens this movie to Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece of tension and technical genius, Rear Window. Director D.J. Caruso has taken this script,…

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REVIEW: Blades of Glory [2007]

“Sex on ice” It’s a real shame that Hollywood churns out some utter crap passed off as entertainment. The new low-brow comedy Blades of Glory has a great premise: two old skating rivals team together, after being banned for life in competition, as the first all male pair to fight for gold at the World Championships. This was ripe for some social commentary, a little out of their element shtick, and a touch of big laugh action sequences. What we get instead are two lead actors doing what they do…

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REVIEW: Shooter [2007]

“I’m gonna see it through” Director Antoine Fuqua has a style and filmography that I have enjoyed in the past. With Training Day and King Arthur, he delivered some action packed movies that had both story and popcorn pyrotechnics. I will say that after seeing the trailer for his new film Shooter, I was a bit underwhelmed, but until I went to one of his works and was not entertained, I would at least give it a shot. I’m glad I did as Shooter ended up being a well told,…

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REVIEW: St. Elmo’s Fire [1985]

“The only illusion that’s worth it” I think Joel Schumacher gets a bad rap. Sure Batman & Robin is possibly the worst movie ever made, and it did kill a multi-million dollar franchise, but is that truly all we think about on the mention of his name? I myself will admit to keeping a stigma of hack whenever Schumacher is talked about, however, along with some decent films of late, his track record in the 80’s was full of pure, nostalgic gems. I finally got the opportunity to check out…

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