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marcfemenella
Reviews
Stage Beauty (2004)
Conclusions about sexuality are deeply troubling
"Stage Beauty" tries to show off its talent with scenes of great actors playing even greater actors at a time when the theater was everything (at least in England).
Billy Crudup does a swell enough job playing a gender-bending actor best known for his/her role as Desdemona in Shakespeare's "Othello," but with its obnoxious score, trite conflict and unnecessary crudity, the movie collapses under its own weight. Furthermore, Rupert Everett gives a horrendous performance as King Charles II, and Claire Danes wanders about the film aimlessly, seemingly more interested in the authenticity of her accent than the quality of her acting. Like "Being Julia," this film also ends with a final "act-off," but it's far less satisfying.
Of course, the truly disturbing element of "Stage Beauty" is its conclusion about sexuality: If you're gay (which our hero was apparently taught to be during his actress training), simply find a hot female to fornicate with and you'll miraculously be transformed into a straight-as-an-arrow manly man. Crudup delivers a line at the end that tries to imply lingering sexual confusion, but the film never buys into it, and neither do we.
Crazy Like a Fox (2004)
Southern tradition gone awry
Nothing at the 2004 Savannah Film Festival was quite as frustrating to watch as the non-dimensional, feature-length helping of twisted Southern principles, "Crazy Like a Fox." The plot: A man sells his house to rich snobs and, after being tricked, changes his mind. He manages to conjure up the support of his fellow Southern folk in an effort to drive the outsiders out of their town. U.K. actor Roger Rees plays Nat Banks, a Virginian farmer who even after living his whole life in the South still hasn't been able to stop speaking with a British accent (seriously, he does, and without explanation).
The bad guys, played like cartoon characters, manage to purchase Nat's house fairly and squarely. Unable to deal, Nat begins camping out on their property. Eventually, he musters the courage to seize the house with the support of the police, judges and anyone else who doesn't care about breaking the law.
Perplexing and ultimately unsettling, "Crazy Like a Fox" argues that law, order and a free market are not valued in Virginia and that rich, snobby people are mean and should be kicked out of small towns. More astounding than this movie being accepted into the film festival is the fact that someone, somewhere, funded this 98-minute disaster.
Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
'the unemployed critic' hit it right on the nail
The failure of this movie is not in the audience not "getting" it -- it's that you "get" it in the first five minutes and then the one-note is played for the entire duration of the film. I'd say "American Splendor" was the last successful "geek-is-cool" movie because it wasn't necessarily going for laughs and was telling a true story (sort of).
Look, I'm just as much into the retro-indie lifestyle as the next guy. I like thrift stores, I buy tapes and weird vinyl. That doesn't mean making a movie with all of those props and bad clothing is anything but props and clothing. It has to have a purpose and its characters need to have a goal or we will simply not care (and I didn't). Besides, all of the "'80s stuff is funny" jokes were very un-geeky in that they just went for the obvious and not the obscure.
I really thought I'd love this film from the trailer (like I'm sure many did). Perhaps some people's love of this film comes more out of what they wanted it to be than what is really there. It's trite, mildly funny but not great or even very good. Todd Solondz, where are you?? Please come out of hiding to show Mr. Hess how to create real characters that we care about.
Spellbound (2002)
Amazing documentary!! One of the best films of the year!
Not only is "Spellbound" hilariously funny and entertaining, it also is a great lesson about what exactly it takes to make it to the National Spelling Bee, a feat that is taken very seriously by quite a few people.
Surprisingly beautifully filmed (considering it was all done on Mini DV), the film takes a non-cynical look at the world of child competition. What is amazing are the cast of real-life characters that they profile. Some are quirky, some normal, some quite touching. The film shows us not only the kids but the parents and a slice of American life in a way not usually seen today.
I saw this movie at the Savannah Film and Video Festival (I go to college there for film) and it was by far the best movie screened. It got a very very enthusiastic response from the audience, which was extremely well-deserved. I hope this movie goes far and I wish the filmmakers good luck!!
Shallow Hal (2001)
What is the message?
After seeing this film I left it feeling pretty entertained and relatively satisfied. Although far from liking it as much as Dumb and Dumber (the best Farrelly Bros. movie to date), it was basically a formulaic romantic comedy with a slight twist.
But in pondering its message I realized it had none. I mean, this movie's goal was obviously to say SOMETHING, but it didn't really say it or know that that something was. Going into the movie WE know the message that beauty is what inside just HAL doesn't. SO, what are we to learn?? NOTHING. We know the story and the message way before the movie starts and it never sways from that or shows us anything new and original. Is it saying this could happen in real life? Or should it? No, because we know that isn't true. Unless the events unfold just like this, this would never happen in real life. Oh I see, if you get hypnotized and tricked into falling in love with a fat person then you should go off with them into the sunset. OK, I'll keep that in mind for the future.
Beside there being no clear message, the cheesy, badly acted lines from Tony Robbins are just TERRIBLE. Why do they show this guy as a rich celebrity in the movie? With a limousine and nice suits? Does that make him SHALLOW (an overused word in this movie, which is never clearly defined)?? The few "Farrelly-type" things with the fat jokes, *SPOILER*-the tail, and the ugly people just don't fit in with the rest of the movie. Also, we cannot really escape the reality of who is playing this girl--Gwyneth, the queen of shallow (although she does a decent job). Essentially, we know that none of these actors buy into this and it shows.
But these things aren't really apparent while watching this movie because it is as light as cotton candy and about as deep and emotional as an episode of "Full House". Jack Black entertains us occasionally with his (seemingly) improvised stuff and his ability to insult in a kind-hearted way.
Beyond all this I would have to say my main problem with this movie is the lack of any direction. There is nothing really interesting in the way this movie was filmed, all of it is just flat and drives the plot (how thin it is). And I think I'm going to scream if I see another movie that uses time-lapsed sun rising/setting transition shots. Is this what the directors think of as artistic flair? At least past Farrelly Bros. movies (although none of them great FILMS) had the story and the shock-power (with graphic visuals) to keep us thinking that what we were seeing was fresh.
Even though it passes the time fairly well, "Shallow Hal" is about as shallow a movie can get.
Vertigo (1958)
The...
BEST!
EVER!
PERIOD.
Just like most truly brilliant pieces of art, explaining why they are great is almost moot. I could write for hours, but in the end Gestalt Theory prevails: the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
This movie is what made me appreciate film as an art form and to devote my life to watching them. Whatever flaws people may say it has only add to its strength because they don't matter. It's magic would be lost if anything was changed. Most modern-day film fans are too arrogant to acknowledge this film among more popular contemporary classics, but the truth is that only a few of them even come close.
Love it. Hate it. Whatever. Either way you will respect and bow down to its glory.
Deadly Matrimony (1992)
Ruined by subplots
I caught this movie/mini-series on Lifetime and I was hooked. While nothing too original plot-wise, Dennehy does such a good job portraying Sgt. John Reed that it is worth watching it just for his performance.
What ruined it all for me was the subplot involving his wife and family towards the end. His wife (played by Susan Ruttan) is just annoying and she basically says the same recycled lines over and over. Take out the family stuff and this would be a nice TV movie.
Primetime Glick (2001)
Pure genius!
Martin Short has created in Jiminy Glick one of the most original and funny characters in the history of television. Short has always had an original way of poking fun at people, but this is his best effort yet. I am very please with Comedy Central taking this show on for another season and who knows how many seasons it will last, but I do believe it will always be remembered and loved.
Short is never afraid of doing something new and unique to get a laugh rather than using direct parody. Both Glick and his sidekick Adrien Van Voorhees (played by the underrated actor/comic, Michael McKean) are hilarious in how eccentric they are. The interesting this about Glick is that it is not that he is fat that is funny, it is how it complements his personality. It is the package that is funny and not just "Martin Short in a fat suit".
Explaining the premise doesn't do any justice to "Primetime Glick" and I dare say it may take a few viewings to truly understand the humor of this show, but once you find it you will be hooked, I promise!
The Matrix (1999)
Overrated, overrated, overrated!!
"The Matrix" is a decent and entertaining movie that is only viewed as something more than that by those who haven't seen better.
The story borrows heavily from other films and tries real hard to convince it is more than your average sci-fi/action movie. It's not. Keanu Reeves' acting is better here than in anything he has done before or since, but that's not saying much. He does not make a good leading man and is easily eclipsed by the supporting cast (mainly Laurence Fishburne).
My suggestion is if you want to see The Matrix then see it and enjoy it, but then go out and see far superior movies like "12 Monkeys" or even the "The Cell".
Copycat (1995)
Computer ruins the whole thing!
I remember watching part of this movie and liking it a long time ago. Recently I caught it on TV and saw the whole thing through. The acting was pretty good, the story interesting, the suspense real. So why did I end up not liking it?
The computer screen shots.
When, oh when will Hollywood think to consult any moron with half a brain before writing and filming movies based around computers? This movie could have taken the whole subplot of Sigourney Weaver's character e-mailing/chatting with the killer out and the movie would have worked great! i don't know what the filmmakers were thinking. The completely dreamed-up screen shots of her computer are so ridiculous that it ruins any sense of realism this film has. How can I believe in the characters and the situations when a computer like this can exist in this world? And what sort of messaging is that she uses? The movie executable?
It may seem like only a few people would notice this sort of thing, but it's about time that filmakers are held accountable for their lack of credibility when it comes to computers. I wouldn't mind it at all if this were a sci-fi flick, but it isn't. It's about a serial killer and the "technology" is distracting and very laughable.
Message to the makers of "Copycat": if you can't do it right, don't do it at all!