Category: Films

  • Brad Bird makes Pixar’s ‘The Incredibles’ simply incredible

    Brad Bird makes Pixar’s ‘The Incredibles’ simply incredible

    Pixar's 'The Incredibles'
    Pixar’s ‘The Incredibles’

    It would have been easy for this latest Pixar/Disney outing to pander to the cynical nature of a lowest common denominator movie audience. Easy to poke fun at its source material with an air of hindsight superiority. Easy to look down on the super hero/spy-fi efforts and styles of generations past. Easy to present us with a dysfunctional family that derides rather than supports, bickers rather than communicates. All for the sake of comedy. But this would have been the cheap and easy laugh. And there isn’t a mocking bone in this whole film.

    The Incredibles is as much an homage to all that’s come before, as it is fresh and new. And writer/director Brad Bird (Iron Giant, The Simpsons) has imbued his latest effort with sincerity and heart amidst genuine humor and nail-biting action.

    Once upon a time, the world was rife with super-heroes. They patrolled the streets of our fair cities foiling criminals and keeping us safe. But as time passed, we became cynical and litigious, resenting their efforts on our behalf and ultimately demanding they cease and desist their heroics. Suddenly pariahs, the “Supers” found themselves the objects of suspicion and lawsuits, forced to give up their actions in the public good, and adopt underground existences with the aid of the government’s new Super-Hero Re-Location Program.

    Forsaking their public, their gadgets, and their powers, the Supers moved to the suburbs to take on lives of quiet desperation at mundane jobs that squashed their spirits and their potential.

    Such is the case with Bob Parr, a.k.a. Mr. Incredible. The strongest man in the world, he finds himself at a dead-end insurance job where he is “encouraged” to cheat his customers. Once a defender of the public, he now must put profit over people. And Bob is having a mid-life crisis.

    'The Incredibles'
    ‘The Incredibles’

    Married to the wonderful Elastigirl, Bob and his family live innocuous lives as they try desperately to “fit in.” But Bob longs for the good old days when he felt special and useful. Then a chance comes along for Bob to relive his glory days and be of use. This sets off a series of events that ultimately leads Bob to appreciate his family even more, and to once again feel appreciated.

    If The Incredibles were only a fun Super Hero movie, that would have been enough. But it’s much more than that. Much deeper. Even though the heroes are super, their feelings and motivations are all too human. They feel frustration, disappointment, loss, and they question their place in the scheme of things just as we mere mortals do. And we care about them and relate to them because of this. The Incredi-kids wrestle with the same problems as real-world children. They worry about what the cute boy at school thinks, and they want to live up to their potential and be true to themselves. And their powers underscore their personalities. Violet (see “shrinking”), the shy older sister has the literal ability to disappear, and the extroverted younger brother (Dash) can literally run circles around anyone. Helen Parr/Mom/Elastigirl is ultimately flexible, able to adapt and commit to any circumstance. And woe be-it to the villain who threatens her family. But whether they’ve yet to learn it, forgotten it, or repressed it, they’re all heroes under the skin. Just like us. And that’s why we relate to them.

    Stylistically, The Incredibles fires on all cylinders. For those of us who remember, it’s the lost James Bond film, taking us back to a time (the 60s) before the disillusionment of Watergate and the total distrust of our leaders and heroes. The plot, art direction, devices, even the cinematography are vintage 007. And the score by Micahel Giacchino (TV’s Alias, Lost) is spot-on John Barry.

    The villain is clever, believable and oh-so Bondian (he lives in a volcano, releases killer rockets, and has a beautiful assistant with an unusual name). And he is out to kill our heroes, not just capture them. This element alone own elevates the film from an adolescent outing to a more complex adult one — especially when children are the targets.

    The vocal performances by Craig T. Nelson as Mr. Incredible, Helen Hunt as Elastigirl, and Seth Greene as Buddy Pine are subtle, effective, and believable. And the style of delivery is more in the mode of a Nick Park project (Wallace & Gromit, Creature Comforts) where not every line is billboarded, but some are under the breath — and more effective because of it. Samuel L. Jackson and Wallace Shawn turn in terrific performances in supporting roles, but Brad Bird himself steals the show as an Edith Head-type fashion designer named Edna, or just “E” (see “Q”) who is responsible for the Incredi-suits.

    The trappings and the suits of “Whoa!” not withstanding, in the end, it’s the love and support of each family member for the others that makes them really super. And despite Bob’s assertion to his loved ones that he must work alone, he learns that they’re ultimately stronger together. Multi-faceted and intelligent, The Incredibles works on many levels. See it more than once.

  • ‘Uncovered: The War in Iraq’ is more propaganda than sincere discussion

    ‘Uncovered: The War in Iraq’ is more propaganda than sincere discussion

    'Uncovered: The War in Iraq' takes a hard look at President George W. Bush and his administration
    ‘Uncovered: The War in Iraq’ takes a hard look at President George W. Bush and his administration

    What can I say about this film? It presents a rather compelling dissection of the case for war in Iraq and its fallacies that the Bush Administration laid out in the days and weeks leading to the invasion. It features a collection of experts, from Robert Baer, a former CIA operative who worked in Iraq and Lebanon for more than 20 years; to Graham Fuller, the former Vice Chairman of the National Intelligence Council at the CIA.

    However, as compelling as the information is in this documentary, the rather transparent goal of the film — to systematically attack the Bush Administration’s policies regarding Iraq — only serves to hurt the effectiveness of it.

    Directed and produced by Robert Greenwald, it was originally created as a short film in 2003. It wasn’t until during and after the “war in Iraq” that Greenwald elected to go back and expand it into a feature-length documentary.

    Protesters seen in 'Uncovered: The War in Iraq'
    Protesters seen in ‘Uncovered: The War in Iraq’

    Consisting largely of a series of interviews, it features a scattering of clips from different news sources highlighting speeches and television interviews of the Bush Administration’s top members, such as the President, Vice President Dick Cheney, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, and so forth. They’re edited to highlight the scare tactics and misleading statement they made leading to the invasion of Iraq, a majority of which have since been proven false.

    But, as much as I found myself agreeing with what the film said, I could not separate myself from the pure propaganda that it represented. For as much as I may find a blindly pro-Bush “documentary” a form of spin, so was this production.

    All the experts aside, it made very little attempt to honestly or appropriately present the opposing view. Aside from the edited clips, compiled in a manner to only emphasis the ridiculousness of them, not one “expert” or person interviewed makes any attempt to explore the opposite side’s view or opinion.

    I suppose one could argue that this in itself helps support the film, but that would be rather inaccurate and arrogant. The problem here is when a filmmaker attempts to promote his own form of propaganda as a documentary, when it is not. The goal of the film is to attack, and never makes any serious attempt to be balanced.

    While I criticize this film, I also stress that I do not disagree with the content. The information contained within is important. My concern is with the presentation, and I urge anyone who watches this film to make an attempt to learn the other side’s view.

    The DVD of this film was accompanied by a short documentary called, Soldier’s Pay, by filmmaker David O. Russell (Three Kings, I Heart Huckabees). You can read that review here.

  • Peter Dinklage is charming in Thomas McCarthy’s debut film, ‘The Station Agent’

    Peter Dinklage is charming in Thomas McCarthy’s debut film, ‘The Station Agent’

    Peter Dinklage and Michelle Williams in 'The Station Agent'
    Peter Dinklage and Michelle Williams in ‘The Station Agent’

    In writer/director Thomas McCarthy’s debut feature, The Station Agent, Peter Dinklage stars as Fin, a train enthusiast who inherits an abandoned station house in Newfoundland, New Jersey. Craving the good old fashioned peace and quiet that only a permanent rural retreat brings, Fin embraces his new property with a peculiarly stoic brand of relish and looks forward to a life of solitude right next to the railway.

    Now’s probably as good a time as any to mention that Fin is a dwarf, and somewhat paradoxically his diminutive stature makes him stand out in his new home. The locals just can’t help but be fascinated by this new character and there’s a rich well of humour in Dinklage’s sardonic expressions when, for example, the shopkeeper takes a souvenir snapshot while he’s trying to buy groceries.

    Fin’s polar opposite is the loud extrovert, good-intentioned but overfriendly Joe, played by Bobby Canavale. Like an enthusiastic puppy, Joe is determined to make friends with Fin, resulting in more of Dinklage’s perfectly timed sardonic expressions. This being a film, Fin is slowly won over by Joe’s clumsy attempts to make friends. But director McCarthy paces it all so perfectly, and layers it with a rich, mature sense of humour about their relationship.

    There’s an absolutely perfect cinematic moment where both men are sitting on chairs outside the station house. Fin has his feet up on a bucket. When Joe attempts to position his feet on it as well, Fin gives him a disappointed look. Joe understands and retracts his feet. It’s perfect cinema because with these simple visuals McCarthy communicates everything about the two men’s relationship, yet still entertains with touch of humor.

    The reason McCarthy is able to do this so simply and so effectively is that he gives his small cast plenty of screen time to establish their characters. This is one of those films where certain people will complain that “nothing happens”. It’s true, I suppose. Nothing blows up and no one single-handedly averts nuclear war. But all 88 minutes (very short by current standards) are devoted to the relationships between the central characters, and when done so expertly this has to be a good thing.

    Completing the trio of lonely hearts is slightly eccentric Olivia, played wonderfully by Patricia Clarkson. Clarkson is a hugely popular actress and her performance as the recently bereaved mother whose marriage is breaking up will only gain her new admirers. The problems between her and her husband are mostly just hinted at, and it’s refreshing to see such strong emotional currency being restrained rather than milked. By not explicitly revealing all her problems, McCarthy positions the viewer with Fin. We only know what he knows and it helps you to share his concern for her and his confusion about what to do.

    Olivia is the tie that initially draws the other two together. The three eventually form what can only be described as a heart-warming friendship. And while ‘heart-warming’ has become a bad word in recent years, The Station Agent isn’t heart-warming in the slushy Ron Howard sense of the word. It’s understated, and the emotions aren’t pushed right in your face. As a result, the trio’s friendship becomes genuinely and unapologetically touching.

    I will always argue that any successful drama needs a good helping of comedy to help regulate the tension (and vice versa). The Station Agent performs such a beautifully conceived balancing act between the two, the result being something that is not only very funny, but also — either despite of or because of the slightly odd characters — rings very true.

  • ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ makes the end of the world as we know it a fun adventure

    ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ makes the end of the world as we know it a fun adventure

    Emmy Rossum is rescued by Jake Gyllenhaal in 'The Day After Tomorrow'
    Emmy Rossum is rescued by Jake Gyllenhaal in ‘The Day After Tomorrow’

    The traditional elements of all disaster films consist of two parts action, two parts effects and varying parts of cheesiness. The Day After Tomorrow features all of these things, with a bit of preachy environmentalism to spice things up a bit.

    Decades of polluting the environment catches up to the human race when the next great ice age is triggered by changing weather patterns. As a result, three massive snow storms develop in the North Pole and grow bigger and bigger as they make their way towards the equator. Raining massive hail stones and dropping several dozen feet of snow on the ground, the entire climate of the planet begins to change.

    Scientist Jack Hall (Dennis Quaid) repeatedly attempts to warn the Vice President of the United States that things are going to get worse, but he is repeatedly ignored. As New York suffers a massive flood – followed by a deep freeze – Hall learns that his son, Sam (Jake Gyllenhaal) is trapped in the city that never sleeps. He then decides to fight the freezing temperatures and journey to NYC from Washington, D.C. to retrieve his son, who holds up in the New York Public Library with a few friends.

    Of course, there are a few subplots, such as a love story featuring Sam and the girl he longs for (Emmy Rossum), but for the most part this film basically consists of one action/disaster scene after another.

    For me, the most disturbing portion of the film is the flooding of New York City. Not just because I live in that great city, but because it mirrored a nightmare I’ve had on several occasions. Watching the massive, ten to fifteen story wave move between buildings and fill the streets made me sit a little straighter in my seat. The effects are really outstanding, as cars are swept away by the rushing water.

    The Earth freezes over in environmental disaster flick, 'The Day After Tomorrow'
    The Earth freezes over in environmental disaster flick, ‘The Day After Tomorrow’

    Quaid does a great job as the over-the-top heroic scientist, and Gyllenhaal is fine as his jilted son. But, these kinds of films are not about the performances. It’s about the effects. There is no character development to get in the way of the pseudo science and environmentalism.

    It’s just a good old fashioned popcorn movie.

    The only real issue I had with the effects was when Quaid and his companion pass the snowed in Statue of Liberty. Now, I’ve never actually been to the statue, but the size ratio between the people and the statue itself seemed completely off. The statue is made out to be much smaller than it actually is, at least that’s the way it looked.

    Roland Emmerich has offered up yet another slam-bam disaster flick that is all about the disaster and very little about the characters. He clearly has a thing for making scientists his chief heroes, who are always these larger than life types who are perfect in almost every sense: smart, handsome and daring. Yet, at the same time, they always put their work before their life.

    In Independence Day, Jeff Goldblum’s character let his work interfere with his marriage. In Stargate, it’s James Spader who is the single-minded geek who dedicates himself to his work with no interest in having a real life. Godzilla plays differently on this trend, but has the same result. Matthew Brodrick is the dedicated scientist, but the woman he loves leaves him in favor of her career, instead of him leaving her for the same reason.

    Lastly, the movie also delivers a rather transparent punchline on the Bush administration. The Vice President clearly looks like our real VP, Dick Cheney. Also, be on the look out for one particular moment between the movie’s Vice President and the President. The audience laughed for almost a full minute, but I don’t want to reveal it here. It’s a precious moment that you could almost see happening between Bush and Cheney.

    Don’t worry so much about the science of The Day After Tomorrow. Whether or not it could really happen, it’s still fun to watch.

  • What went wrong with ‘Tomb Raider’?

    Angelina Jolie is Lara Croft in ‘Tomb Raider’

    Imagine this: You have one of the most successful and recognized computer game character in the world. You think, “Hey, let’s make a movie out of it.”

    One problem. The video stars one bungee-jumping, butt-kicking, Kung Fu-fighting, gun-wielding, archaeologist, wet dream-uber-babe. Oh, did I forget to mention that she has the body of Pamela Anderson, the skills of James Bond and Indiana Jones, and talks likes Mister T?

    You could solve your problem and let her become one of the new cyber-babes that are all the rage. But, no, you want an actress with some DNA. You don’t want to make a cartoon. You already have the video. What do you do? It’s obvious.

    You get Angelina Jolie.

    All the ingredients of a mega-hit were there: Just add Angelina, stir and mix. What went wrong with this recipe for success? Shall we start with the opening fight sequence?

    Do we really need Lara Croft fighting a test “monster” robot to inform us that we came to see an action movie? I think not.

    Tomb Raider is about heiress/archaeologist Lady Lara Croft as she continues the work of her, missing-in-action Lord Croft (played by Jon Voight, Angelina’s real-life father).

    The adventure begins with Lara discovering a clock that is counting down to the alignment of the planets. A feat that only happens once every 5,000 years.

    The significance of this event is that once the alignment is complete, the person that is in the possession of “the key” (which is actually an All Seeing Eye) will have the ability to suspend time. Time would be “bent” and the holder of the Eye would then have the ability to time travel back and forth changing history.

    Manfred Powell is the diabolical agent of the Illuminati that wants to steal the Eye from Lady Lara so that he can change.

    I wanted so much for this movie to send me over the edge. It did send me over the edge, but not in a positive way. I even went to a costume party and came as Lara Croft. Complete with my black tank top, black short and two side arms (Okay, they were water pistols). I had the long braid down my back and a pouch that was filled with items that I had recently “raided” from a tomb. I also have the cup size that would make any X-rated director happy. (Hey, why didn’t Jolie’s breast get credit in this movie. They had more of a starring role than her father)?

    I was impressed with the exotic locations in the movie. Jolie is wonderful in her bungee scene. Of course, you just know that there is going to be, “Tomb Raider: The Ride” at some theme park next year. It’s just too big of an opportunity to pass up.

    I was equally impressed that Lady Jolie did all of her own stunts. She tore several ligaments in her foot, nicked her knee when she fell 20 feet off a climbing wall and wore out her shoulder due to the strenuous boxing schedule that she maintained.

    But the movie dug itself into a hole from the opening scene and barely climbs out of it.

    So if you played the video game and found the hidden link that lets you view Lara topless. Have at it. The game is a better thrill.

  • ‘Jurassic Park III’ has smarter dinosaurs, but dumber humans

    The dinos are back in ‘Jurassic Park III’

    Have I become a cynic or did I just see the same movie with different actors? There is nothing new here.

    Paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill) is back to take the helm of this lackluster tail with a new hunky assistant, Billy (Alessandro Nivola). We find Dr. Grant doing speaking engagements to raise research money for his foundation. He newest discovery is the fact that raptors were indeed smarter then he first anticipated. In fact, Dr. Grant now believes that they have the ability to work together as a team and have social skills. Well, they should have gotten together and re-written this script.

    Dr. Grant declares that nothing will ever get him to go back to visit the island. That is before Kirby Enterprises writes him a check to fund his research. Mr. and Mrs. Kirby. (William H. Macy and Tea Leoni – minus her pearls) dupe Dr. Grant into going to Isla Sorna. The Kirbys convince Dr. Grant that they are globetrotting thrill-seekers, and seeing Isla Sorna is truly the last frontier. They want to celebrate their anniversary and what better way than to be the anniversary dinner?

    Actually it is Billy that suggests that Dr. Grant meet with the Kirbys. This leads you to think that Billy is somehow involved when the plane lands on Isla Sorna. But this plot line is just dangled in front of us and the writers never pursue this line of thinking.

    The Kirbys real intention is to locate their son who has been lost on the island after going Para-sailing eight weeks earlier. The Kirby’s are from Enid, Oklahoma and this fact gets mentioned three times in the movie. Having been to Enid, Oklahoma I know that JP3 will be showing non-stop at both theaters there. I was more impressed with the Oklahoma reference then with the story line.

    There is some great casting with this movie. William H. Macy is always wonderful to watch on screen. Seeing his character evolve from milquetoast company man to family protector is a joy to watch. As for Tea Leoni, there is nothing new here. She plays Macy’s wife. She does a lot of screaming and yelling and that is about all.

    Besides Macy, the other real jewel in this movie is Michael Jeter. He is playing against cast as the mercenary that organizes the trip. You can just see the excitement in his face. He really gets into the role as an action figure.

    JP3 does take the time to introduce us to some new dinosaurs. The flying pteranodon finally makes its screen debut. Michael Crichton had these lovely creatures in the original book. It’s sad that its taken three movies for them to finally appear on the scene. But, when they do, this is one of the most riveting parts of the movie.

    The 44-foot spinosaurus is awesome and destructive as it rips apart the airplane and used its passengers as a rolling pin. I found this scene very frightful. I am acrophobic, claustrophobic and “dinophobic.” This scene will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat. The special effects are truly exceptional. The general mass of the spinosaurus and the brachiosaurus is reminiscent of the first “Jurassic Park.”

    I still expected more from this movie. The dinosaurs have gotten smarter, why haven’t the humans?

    Steven Spielberg turned over the direction of this film to Joe Johnston. Joe made the movie 30-40 minutes shorter then the previous. Why Joe? Was it because you were having script re-writes straight up to the time you began shooting? Say it isn’t so Joe.

    In 1993, I was truly amazed that there were dinosaurs for me to see. I am still amazed, but let down. This movie was anti-climatic. Sure its entertaining but at what cost? Has Steven finally reached into his bag of trick and finally come up empty? I can’t answer that. But for me, this movie was one big trailer for Jurassic Park IV: The Pteranodon.

  • ‘The Fast and the Furious’ is a pure adrenaline rush

    Vin Diesel and Paul Walker in ‘The Fast and the Furious’

    If you want to go to a movie and simply enjoy two hours of pure nitro, this is the movie for you! This is one movie that actually lives up to its title.

    Vin Diesel plays Dominic Toretto, the badass leader of a Los Angeles underground street racing gang. Paul Walker is Brian, an undercover cop sent in to investigate a hijacking ring. First, Brian investigates Dom’s sister, Mia (Jordana Brewster) and soon becomes part of the “family” But, not before the traditional West Side Story/Romeo and Juliet sidebar leads us astray. Throw in some Chinatown hoods and you have 105 minutes of action packed entertainment.

    I love fast cars and bad boys so this movie was perfect for me. I came into the theater with no expectations. I only wanted to see Vin Diesel in some sort of undress and I got just what I bargained for. Vin cut his teeth in Pitch Black and Saving Private Ryan. In The Fast and the Furious, Vin embodies Dom. This is a part that starts franchises. Remember Mel Gibson in Mad Max? Vin is the sum of all his parts.

    Vin’s baritone voice sounds like the soft sweet hum of a fine tuned engine. His voice resonates with a melodic rhythm. Every part of his body seems to burst out of the frame. Making the screen look too small to handle his physique.

    Walker seems to sleep through his performance. Think Keanu Reeves in Breaking Point. Walker even has the same monotone speaking patterns as Reeves. Brian visually is the screen opposite of Dom. Where Dom is dark and secretive; Brian is blonde and wants membership into this exclusive car club.

    I thought this movie would only be about fast cars and fast woman. It lived up to its title. This is one movie that gives the audience everything it wants and more.

    This movie has everything. Good-looking cars, women, dangerous chase scene, bad guys and crime. Some of the best car stunts scenes that I’ve seen in a long time. Fast and Furious pays off where Gone in 60 Seconds misfired. You have cars going under moving semis, peoples hanging from semis, people jumping out of sunroofs onto semis.

    Whew.

    This movie is a pure adrenaline rush.

    Even the women in this film keep up with the action. I am sure filming this movie was a stuntman’s heaven and hell. Watching these scenes on screen propels this movie to a fast paced crescendo.

    The surprise is how far street racing has evolved. A not so well kept secret. Look at all the website that promote this illegal pastime.

    Street racing on film is not new ground. Rebel without a Cause, American Graffiti, Driven, Gone in Sixty Seconds. Those movies were great. But what The Fast and Furious has is Vin Diesel, flashy cars and the ethnic flavor of living in East L.A. in 2001.

    The Fast and the Furious also delves into the fact of how young urbanites find the financing for their car creations. Many of the young actors themselves did not even have driver licenses at the time this movie was shot. Not one of these characters has a job that pays more the minimum wage. Yet, everyone is throwing $100k plus for the upkeep of his or her cars. Do we care? NO! Just keep racing those cars. Yes, there is plenty of posturing and sizing up of the other guys “pistons.”

    If you want something hot to watch this summer, seek out this film and inject yourself with it. And remember, don’t let up on the pedal.

  • The beautiful ‘Monster’s Ball’ will leave you emotionally drained

    Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton in ‘Monster’s Ball’

    Monster’s Ball, believe it or not, is a love story. It is a story about second chances and never giving up on people, not even yourself. A story of how hatred will destroy everything it touches. Monster’s Ball is an old English term given to the party that is thrown for the condemned the night before he is executed.

    Hank Grotowski is a redneck correctional officer (Billy Bob Thornton) a career that was passed down from his father (Peter Boyle) that Hank now passes to his son (Heath Ledger).

    Hank doesn’t really care about anything or anyone one. Hank even despises himself. He just doesn’t know it yet. He lives in rural Georgia and he doesn’t like change. He has been going to work at the State Penitentiary for some 20 years. Hank eats at the same restaurant and hates the same people. Just like his daddy. The Grotowskis have another family tradition; bigotry.

    Then destiny steps in and changes Hanks life. Hank wakes up in a world that has changed around him. He doesn’t want to accept it. Three generations of men that have contributed nothing to society except to work on Death Row and hate.

    The Grotowskis know how to hate. The question is, can they stop?

    Leticia (Halle Berry) plays the wife of Lawrence Musgrove (Sean Combs), a convict on death row for shooting a cop. Leticia hates Lawerence for forcing her to make a life for herself and her overweight son, Tyrell (Coronji Calhoun). Leticia has been going to visit Lawrence for the 11 years. The entire time that Lawrence has been behind bars. He has exhausted all his appeals. He is ready to die and Leticia is ready for him to die, so that she can stop coming to a place that only brings back memories of their wasted lives.

    Hank and Leticia, two characters dealing with the pain their lives. They both will experience loss of a loved one. It is this pain, and a strange course of events, that bring these two unlikely lovers together. Strangers that would never met. Shakespearian in their own way, each one of them flawed. Yearning for, love yet denied it because they have never really known what love is. Destiny steps in and does what Cupid would never dare, bringing the executioner with the condemned man’s wife. The racist with someone that he has been taught to hate his entire life.

    This story shows that any life can be redeemed if you forgive yourself and let someone love you. Hank reaches out to help Leticia, a black woman, because his own pain blinds him. He gives no explanation, but Hank has changed and this change will affect everyone that comes in contact with him. Hank doesn’t know why he helps Leticia, but once he does he can’t stop. She becomes a part of his daily routine. Hank likes routine it comforts him. Like the same bowl of chocolate ice cream he eats every night.

    There are so many exceptional performances in this movie. Thornton and Berry are so incredibly intense. You see two flawed people coming together when they have lost everything, trying to make sense of what the world has done to them.

    Everyone in this movie seems to be doing time. The father that is dying of emphysema. The son that is dying to escape his life and waiting for his father’s love. Leticia is waiting for her husband to die so that the past will die with him. Then there is Hank. We are shown glimpses of a life as a correction officer. He is serving time just like the people he is paid to guard. Pretty soon he becomes just as cold and as numb as the prisoners. Hank even takes comfort in eating like them too.

    This movie will leave you emotionally drained and will stay with you for days to come.

  • ‘John Q’ effectively attacks America’s health insurance problem

    Denzel Washington in ‘John Q’

    John Q is the story about an “everyman”, John Q. Public, if you will. John Q is a man forced with a decision that millions of Americans are forced to make every day. What do you do when your child needs a life-saving operation and your health care provider will not provide that service? You have a choice to make. You can either work within the system or you can buck it.

    John Q. Archibald chooses the latter.

    Denzel Washington plays John Q. A church going, factory working man that loves his family. He has a lovely wife (Kimberly Elise) and a son, Michael (Daniel E. Smith). Sure, times are tough for the Archibald family. Everyone has it tough. We all live paycheck to paycheck.

    But the Archibalds have it even tougher.

    John is only working 20 hours a week at the factory. Bills are piling up. Some bills are getting paid late, while others go unpaid. The creditors have started coming around claiming what is theirs.

    It is evident, from the start of the movie, that there is a lot of love in this family. John and Denise are making the best of a tight situation. John does have a few character flaws. He never finishes what he starts and he always procrastinates.

    John’s son, Michael, is faced with heart transplant surgery, and their HMO will not cover the operation. The hospital also prevents Michael’s name from getting on the donor list. John goes through all the red tape and appeals to get the HMO to provide funds for the operation. Unfortunely, this is not enough to save his son!

    So, he takes the hospital hostage.

    This is where the second story line begins. A story of a desperate father willing to do anything to save his son’s life. One thing we must keep in prospective. This is not just a black man wielding a gun at a room full of white hostages. This is not just a black man struggling with taking lives of innocent people. This is the plight that millions of Americans face without adequate healthcare. This is one man trying to provide for his family.

    We have learned a lot about John Q before he takes the hospital hostage. He has played every card fairly that this world has dealt him. He is a moral man.

    The underlying theme throughout this picture is the sad fact that this could happen to any one of us. We are one paycheck away from being John Qs. Here is an average American pushed into doing the unthinkable. He is in a lose-lose situation. John’s only thought is to save his son’s life. By doing this, he may ultimately lose his own.

    Ann Heche plays the hospital administer that denies the Archibald family coverage and James Woods is the heart surgeon. I can only say that both characters are heartless and they also need to be put on the donor list.

    Sure, this movie has its flaws. It sometimes gets too preachy. We all know that this country needs Health Care reform. The movie is somewhat ironic and foretelling. There is a news clip of Ted Demme stating we need better health care (the late-filmmaker recently died of an undetected heart ailment).

    This movie makes one point that needs to be explored more. Why are we paying for Health Insurance when you can’t get it when you really need it? The real hostages here are the American public.

  • ‘Training Day’ is hardcore Denzel Washington

    Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke in 'Training Day'
    Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke in ‘Training Day’

    What could be better than seeing Denzel Washington during my Christmas break?

    Seeing him show up in “Training Day” driving a custom, vintage low rider Black Monte Carlo. The car that I wanted my dad to buy me when I was in High School.

    “No!” was all I ever got from him. But he got himself one. Some memories are hard to forget.

    Denzel takes a leap of faith and goes against the grain to play one of the most evil character that I have ever seen him portray. (Denzel began his career playing a heavy in “A Soldiers Story.”)

    Washington plays Det. Alonzo Harris a buck wild cop in the narcotics division of LA. It’s hard to tell if he is working the streets of LA or if the streets are working him.

    Ethan Hawke plays his partner, Jake Holt. Washington’s assignment is to train Holt to survive on the streets. Holt is a Waspy looking rookie that has wet dreams of being the next Serpico. One look at Detective Alonzo Harris and we know that Holt will never survive the day. Their personalities are the antithesis of each other. This makes for either a wonderful collaboration, or a deadly combination.

    “Training Day” gives of a glimpse of both scenarios.

    Okay, stop right there! Haven’t we seen this sort of picture before? Black cop/White cop, old cop/new cop, hip-hop (music) dead cop?

    Well forget those other movies. It is the same formula, but video director Antoine Fuqua makes all things new again. Fuqua turns this movie into a PCP pipe and forces you to take a hit. Yes, you will inhale and enjoy all the effects that this movie makes on you.

    I was glued to my seat, totally engrossed in all the smells and sounds of Crenshaw, Watts, South Central and Inglewood. Fuqua throws the mean streets of LA up in your face and you can feel all the sweat and the filth as you sit in your seat. You feel like you are in the car with Harris and Holt as they drive around and give you a view of LA you would never have the privilage of seeing. You want to duck or run for cover when the bullets start flying. You begin to wonder, “Where is your back-up?”

    What makes this movie is Denzel. Do I have to say anything else? We love him, yet we despise what he is doing. Denzel makes this movie work and Ethan Hawke is the icing on the cake. At first you think that Hawke is the weaker of the two or would get lost next to Denzel’s volatile character. But the movie uses this juxtaposition to draw us into its web.

    The only disappointment with this film was the ending. It was like someone said, “Okay let’s wrap this up. We are running out of film!” The movie works up until this point. There are so many unanswered questions and the audience is left feeling unsatisfied.

    We are pushed into accepting the final fate of these two characters when we are just beginning to care about them.

    Extra bonus: There are enough cameos in this movie, it starts to look like an MTV award show. Macy Gray, Snoop Dog and Dr. Dre round out the musical cast of misfits.

    Go see this movie and see for yourself why Denzel Washington received another Oscar nomination for his portrayal of another cop that has gone in too deep. Just remember to leave all those glossy 8×10 at home with your mother. This is hardcore Denzel and he is taking you on the ride of your life.