vizli Reviews

Appaloosa (2008)

A promising beginning unfulfilled

[6/10 · 14 January 2009]

Appaloosa starts off well with an interesting and believable premise: a partnership between two lawmen, long on integrity and courage, who come to a town to rid it of lawless scum.

The plot begins to derail, however, when Renee Zellinger steps off the train. I'm sorry but I find it hard to believe that anyone would be enthralled by old squinty eyes. Then, her character is completely ridiculous. Supposedly refined but ready to hop in bed with any male within an arms length.

The film does stay on course when Jeffrey Iron's villain is captured for murder and then escapes with the help of two guns-for-hire. The movie completely unravels, however, when Irons receives a presidential pardon (are you kidding me!) and the becomes a refined business man (thereby losing the edge that made him at least somewhat interesting).

Appaloosa then simply meanders on pointlessly for the last half an hour until suddenly, Viggo's character decides out of nowhere to engage Irons in a showdown and kills him. I am admittedly unfamiliar with the book which was the source of this movie but I can't believe it made this little sense.

Sorry, if you are looking for the next great western, keep on looking.

Shoot 'Em Up (2007)

Remember When Movies Were Fun?

[8/10 · 26 January 2008]

This was simply an unpretentious and enjoyable film. No big message, just non stop and often ridiculous action. If you can enjoy a James Bond or Die Hard flick, you will find this movie well worth spending (almost) one and half hours of your life. Particularly noteworthy was the tongue-in-cheek performance by Paul Giamatti. Giamatti, who is proving to be one of Hollywood's most versatile actors, plays the uber intellectual mad man leader of a virtually countless team of hit men seeking to kill, of all people, an infant boy. The plot, which is frankly inane and not worth explaining, is wholly besides the point. Clive Owen plays the the hero in a role striking similar to "Children of Men" (although thankfully, with a mite more humor). But its Giamatti who steals the show. His character is not only relentless but extremely amusing. When is that last time you saw a hen-pecked hit man? So leave your common sense at the door and have an increasingly rare experience - have fun at the movies!

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

Wonderful, Glorious Tragedy

[10/10 · 25 March 2007]

When I first saw Moulin Rouge! at the movie theater, I was shocked, surprised and stunned by the most most original cinematology I had ever seen. Its difficult to explain the visual feast for the eyes created by Baz Luhrman in this masterpiece. Suffice to say, no one had ever seen anything like it before. But to dwell only on the visual aspect of this movie does a grave disservice because it is not only a visual marvel but also a superb film in its own right. I have never been a huge fan of traditional musicals such as "Oklahoma" or "Sound of Music". However, Moulin Rouge! completely explodes and re-invents musical film-making. With all deference to the subsequently released "Chicago", Moulin Rouge! is in a league of its own. The melange of pop songs in the "Elephant Song" could have easily have been a disaster but here, it fits perfectly with the story. I would also be remiss not to mention the performances of Nicole Kidman and Ewan MacGregor. Kidman is a revelation. First, her singing was surprisingly accomplished. But the true stunner was the vulnerability and honesty that comes across in her performance - it was simply breathtaking. MacGregor also shocks with his convincing if unspectacular singing and well as his simple but spot on performance as the young and penniless writer. I see literally dozens if not hundreds of movies a year, both classics and new releases but I only own about ten DVDs and reserve purchases only to the absolute classics like The Godfather Trilogy and "The Maltese Falcon". Yes, one of the privileged few DVDs on my shelf is Moulin Rouge! Enough said!

Local Hero (1983)

Another failed ending

[6/10 · 24 March 2007]

In rating a film, I always look at three aspects: the setup, the plot and the ending. In Local Hero, I thoroughly enjoyed the set up. I believed that this little town in Scotland existed (much like the underrated depiction of a small South Carolina town in Doc Hollywood). The beginning of the plot also had a lot of promise. The towns people (by and large) were fixated on selling out for millions, not realizing how happy they already were and the Peter Riegert character's (Mac)ability to immediately comprehends this. However, the movie stalls at this point. Burt Lanchaster's character is absurd - a corporate executive of a major oil company that doesn't give a fig over whether his company can purchase a beach it desperately needs for a refinery. I could think of numerous ways of ending this film which would have been more enjoyable and comprehensible than the ridiculous ending employed here. Therefore, while I really enjoyed parts of this film, it was ultimately disappointing.

World Trade Center (2006)

Gut Wrenching and Powerful Testament

[8/10 · 27 January 2007]

I recently watched both Flight 93 and World Trade Center. From the reviews I read, I expected Flight 93 to be the superior of the two but after watching World Trade Center, I came to a far different conclusion.

I respectfully disagree with the commenter who thought that the movie dwelled too heavily on the the two Port Authority officers being trapped in the wreckage. Instead, I thought Stone did a superb job in encapsulating the entire 9-11 experience through the eyes of the two families. I lived through 9-11 and didn't need to see a newsreel of the day. The movie hit the right note by focusing on the emotional effect of the disaster on average families - the scene in the hospital between Maria Bello's character and the mother who lost her son in the Towers was particularly well done.

For someone who lives on Long Island and knew many who were working in Manhattan that day (but fortunately, no one who was in the Towers), it was tough not to become emotional and I there were several parts of the movie that brought me to tears.

All in all, I feel that this was a job well done and should be mandatory viewing by high school students so that they will learn what 9-11 meant to us, a little bit like Schindler's list.

The Holiday (2006)

Better than expected

[7/10 · 29 December 2006]

When I visited the MultiPlex, the choice was between "The Good Shephard" and "The Holiday". I went w/my wife, I let her chose since the last few times I picked, she snoozed.

Anyhow, "The Holiday" was clearly a cut above the ordinary romantic comedy fare. First, Cameron Diaz was simply luminous. Obviously, I've seen her many times before but for some reason, for the first time (at least to me) she appeared to be truly beautiful. But the real surprise was the natural performance of Jude Law. At first, I thought he was simply a reprise of his prior roles. But then, all of the sudden, he started to hit some disarmingly true notes, like when we are introduced to his children and then when he admits that he has fallen for Diaz.

The other out of the ordinary aspect was the Eli Wallach character. While he may at first blush appear to be out of his element, he brings in an unexpected storyline about the "old" Hollywood and connects with Kate Winslet character in a very touching way.

I would also be remiss if I failed to mention that Ms. Winslet turns in another fine performance but I guess at this point, that is to be expected and therefore, sometimes overlooked.

All in all, a pleasant surprise which I rate a 7 and I am an extremely harsh rater, almost never doling out a 10 or even a 9.

The Squid and the Whale (2005)

Pointless exercise in neurosis

[5/10 · 9 November 2006]

This is simply another case of the movie intelligentsia praising a film that has no plot and just meanders. Jeff Daniels character is not only boorish but ultimately pathetic. Laura Linney, one of the finest actresses of this time, is absolutely wasted in this movie. First, they could make any more physically unattractive if they tried. She constantly looks like she rolled out of bed after crying all night long. Then, she's telling her son Walter about some guy she screwed before she met his father. I thank God that my mother never had a conversation like that with me and I pray for any child whose mother did. The youngest son is deeply disturbed and really, do we need to see his semen smeared all over the place? The only remotely interesting character is Walter, the older son, who first parrots whatever his father says but later discovers how flawed his father really is. But nothing really happens. I'm sorry but when I watch a film, I want to be entertained. This movie went nowhere. Very disappointing.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

I wish I could erase this movie from my mind

[1/10 · 29 July 2006]

It appears that Charlie Kaufman is a one trick pony. While he poses an intriguing concept, he does nothing of value with it. For some reason, the "ardent" movie denizens who frequent this site were mesmerized by this stunt, much in the same way that they uniformly loved the sequence stunt employed in "Mememto".

Please. Can some screenwriter take an interesting concept and then actually develop it into something worth watching. Instead of developing a story, Kaufman simply plays mind games by distracting his audience with disjointed scenes that make little sense. And this is called genius? A complex story can be quite enjoyable if the screenwriter actually takes the time to make a coherent story with a plausible ending such as in "The Usual Suspects".

Sorry, before one bows at the feet of any filmmaker, you should demand more than a clever proposition. Otherwise, "The Butterfly Effect" should have won an Oscar.

Memento (2000)

Vastly overrated

[6/10 · 28 November 2001]

Well, I fell for the hype after noticing that Memento had been voted into the All Time Top Ten and rented the DVD. What a waste of time. Not since Oliver Stone's "Natural Born Killers" have I've seen such an example of technique masquerading as a movie.

Ooh. The movie starts from the end, how cool and original. I suspect few movie devotees would have been nearly as interested if the film has been in normal linear mode. After straining to notice each hidden clue, I was dumbfounded when this "classic" ended. The star - Guy Pierce - gave a wooden "Keanu" performance, although in all fairness, he was given little to work with. I couldn't give a damn about any of the characters. The constant cut backs became mind numbingly annoying. No, I did NOT enjoy this movie.

News flash. The emperor had no clothes and this movie stunk!

Defending Your Life (1991)

A classic romantic comedy with a message to boot

[9/10 · 9 March 2000]

I just recently saw this movie again on the tube and I was reminded why its one of my favourites. Not only is Brooks at his comedic best but Meryl Streep blended seamlessly into this movie.

I was surprised that most of the comments about this movie were focused only on the afterlife and not the more obvious premise of the movie - how we deal with fear. While it is virtually impossible to take a Albert Brooks movie to heart, this one proves to be a clear exception. There is actually a profound message in this movie - your life is significantly shaped by the way you deal with fear.

I challenge anyone who hasn't yet seen this movie to watch it and failed to be entertained. You won't be sorry.

eXistenZ (1999)

The latest installment in new genre

[13 February 2000]

Afte viewing eZistenZ, I obviously recalled two other movies that also incorporated the "virtual reality - is it real or virtual?" plot line - The Matrix and The 13th Floor (by the way, I'm surprised no one else mentioned the 13th floor, another recent low budget virtual reality film).

Anyway, it appears we now have a new movie genre - virtual reality movies. And I, for one, have no problem with this development as long as each movie has a distinctive take on the subject. I enjoyed each of these movies although the ending of eXistenZ was more confusing than the others. Maybe that's not a bad thing, though. A movie doesn't have to have a soothing or completely clear resolution. Unfortunately, these movies will be hampered commercially for the same reason that they excite a cult following - they require a significant amount of attention and a desire to be challenged intellectually. Not exactly the recipe for big box office.

In any event, anyone who likes mind blowing plot line (Altered States, a relative oldie, also comes to mind) will also enjoy eXistenZ. Its definitely worth your time and the rental cost.