Gangs of New York

In an attempt to watch all the movies that are nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, we arranged our evening around this movie to be sure and see it. The funny part of this was that Terry wanted to see this more then I did, and I didn't think she knew what she was getting in for. I was right.

The violence in this movie stands out even to me, and I am one that is not squeamish in the least for TV or movie violence. It is the prevailing overtone of the movie and you can't forget it throughout.

The story seemed poorly told in my opinion and cast very wrong with DiCaprio and Diaz. Daniel Day Lewis however did a superb job, and deserved his nomination. But other then his performance the rest of the acting was nothing to write home about. (Although I was pleased to see John C Reilly in this movie as well, that gives him 3 best picture movies he stars in.) The story was highly predictable, and didn't contain the needed and warranted elements of revenge that you would expect (i.e.. killing The Butcher with his father's dagger). The ending seemed to be lost bringing out an important element of the storyline that had not been sufficiently developed previously.

It makes me wonder why it is nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture at all.

Overall rating of 2 out of 5 stars.

The Hours

The Hours is one of those movies that makes me want to read the book. While the movie is utterly depressing it tells a story, along three timelines, with skill and elegance.

The story is great, the acting is great, and the filming is great. While I always say that the sign or measuring stick to know if a movie is good is if when the credits roll, did it make you feel something. Something being happy, excited, scared, or in love, etc. This one does make you feel, but it is the same feeling that American Beauty brought a couple years ago.

While this won't be my favorite movie this year, I can easily see it winning the Academy Award for Best Picture. It has everything the critics are looking for, and is an excellent movie in its own right.

Overall rating 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Chicago (2002)
Starring: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah
Directed by: Rob Marshall

Maybe I knew I was gonna be a sucker for this one and like it before it even came out if you knew of my love for Moulin Rouge. But the only similarity between the two is the fact they are both musicals.

Chicago is a treat of a film that dazzles the eyes and the ears throughout. Besides that fact that Catherine, Renee and Richard give it star appeal, the cinematography, script and music go hand in hand to make it an entertaining ride. You can't help but be amazed of the brilliance as all three are tangled together to tell the story of Roxie Hart (Renee), Velma Kelly (Catherine) and the lawyer (Richard) trying to get them off on murder charges.

Queen Latifah and John C. Reilly do a great job of stealing scenes. John C. Reilly was a real surprise as I didn't know he was even in the show and I have been a fan of his since "Never Been Kissed", and "For the Love of the Game".

This is a sure winner of a movie that shouldn't be missed. It took home a few Golden Globe nominations and will be sure to do well at the Oscars.

Overall rating 5 out of 5 stars.

I only caught one or two of the these episodes when they originally aired on HBO. Partly this was on purpose as I wanted to wait until they were out on DVD so I could watch the entire series. It was a long time waiting, but well worth it. I think that "Band of Brothers" was the best thing on TV and one of the best movies if it can be categorized as such I have ever seen.

The characters are thoroughly endearing, the stories incredible, the videotography amazing! One must remember that these are true stories on top of all that.

I am big on sleeper movies, and I think this falls into that category because there are many that didn't catch it on HBO when it aired and re-aired. There are many that don't bother to pick it up at the video store because of it's immensity (10 episodes). But it is more then worth the time!

Overall rating 5 out of 5 stars!

As these are my reviews I will add some editorial comments as well. It just so happened that as I begin watching "Band of Brothers", I was also digitizing photos and video of my grandfather who served in WWII, for his 80th birthday to be celebrated on Jan 4th 2003. It was incredible to see the photos of him in his army fatigues and see an instant relationship with the movie. While little is known about his experience in the war, only because the time has not been taken to document it, I do know that he participated in D-day and part of a forward artillery unit.

Watching the movie and imagining him as part of what went on, added greatly to what I was seeing.

"My Big Fat Greek Wedding"

Director: Joel Zwick
Starring: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett
Plot Outline: A young Greek woman falls in love with a non-Greek and struggles to get her family to accept him while she comes to terms with her heritage and cultural identity.Runtime: 130 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG

I don't think I ever would have gone to see this movie if it wasn't for word of mouth. Heck, I don't think I would have even known this movie exsisted if it wasn't for word of mouth.

I new the movie had been out for a while and so I didn't expect to have to wait in line or fight for a seat (which I did) when we went and saw it. The theatre was packed, and I soon understood why.

"My Big Fat Greek Wedding" is a surprisingly simple and totally hilarious comedy, about a old "marm" of a greek girl who at 30 really needs to get married to save herself and her family from a world of shame and lonelyess. Not only get married but she must get married to a greek guy, not any guy will do.

The movie takes you from one hilarous moment to another and the funniest part of the movie is when everyone in the audience (admit it you did it too) recognized parts of their own family within the family Portokalos.

I know I will never look at a bottle of "Windex" in the same way again.

This is a sure hit movie and an incredible movie if learn about how it came to be a movie and those involved with it. (I will leave that to you to find out.) After 19 weeks it moves up to number 4 this past weekend for making money, and probably the best movie out there right now in my opinion.

and 1/2

Starring: Cuba Gooding Jr., Seth Green
Director: Jerry Zucker
Synopsis: Madcap road-trip comedy about Las Vegas billionaire (Cleese) devising a race where six contestants compete to be first to reach train station locker containing $2 million in cash. (Paramount)
Runtime: 112 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13

When I first saw the previews to this movie in theaters, my first inclination was “whatever.” I knew this was a movie, I would wait and end up watching on video.

This movie is based on the premise of a really, really bored casino owner Donald Sinclair, who has put together this high stakes “race” for his high rolling buddies, by placing 2 million dollars in a locker hundreds of miles away.. He then lures 6 unsuspecting guests of his casino, and indicates to each of them the rules, to which there is only 1. “Get there first, and you win” Then they bet on who will win. This film has some wonderful acting talent in, Cuba Gooding Jr. Whoopi Goldberg, Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean) John Lovitz, and John Cleese.

There were a number of things that I loved about this movie. Each of the “contestants” has some sort of personal handicap. There were also a number of funny lines, and scenarios in this movie. The short on IQ brothers, and one their pierced tongues. Rowan atkinson and his “eets a rrrace, I hope I ween!” Overall, I thought the movie could have been a little better, but with this cast, you won’t go away completely disappointed, they do a good job of holding a poor script, and making it somewhat appealing. See if you can stay awake long enough to catch some of the off-takes from other movies, such as the scene where you see the words, “you should have bought a squirrel”, then come back and tell me, what movie that premise was based on.

and 1/2

I didn't rush to this move when it was in theatres but instead went a few weeks after it's release because of word of mouth. The "word" tended to be true and I was not dissappointed. Rat Race is a comedy that while does rely on some slap-stick, creates a world of humor that keeps you laughing at every turn. With a diverse cast of characters that makes you wonder how, why, and what they got paid. There is even an uncredite cameo roll by Kathy Bates and the squirrel lady.

This movie also introduced me to Rowan Atkinson. I always thought his name was just "Mr. Bean". But the entire cast is superb, in this quick moving, highly comical movie. You even get to boogie with Smashmouth at the end.

Many times you see a trailer for a comedy that looks funny only to have all the best parts of the movie available in the trailer. This is NOT the case with Rat Race, it is a comedy that you don't want to miss.

Even after purchasing the DVD and my kids adopting it as the movie of the moment, I found myself stopping from time to time just to catch a specific scene. This is a sure hit for a laugh.

Starring: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss.
Director: Christopher Nolan
Rated: R
Synopsis: A man, suffering from short-term memory loss, uses notes and tattoos to hunt down his wife's killer.

As Leonard states in the movie, "memories are extremely inaccurate" and my remembrance of the movie may have lost a bit as well over time, but Memento has to be one of my favorite movies of all time. It will definitely make the list of top 5 sleeper movies as it really never made it big in the theatres. But this movie is just great. It is the kind of movie that plays with your mind and makes you think, and you must watch it uninterrupted as one missed moment could make the whole movie lose it essence. The movie is not for everyone as it has a non-linear plot, that is so creative and so original, this is the reason I probably think so highly of it.

Rate R for all the usual rated R reasons, it most definitely is not a movie to be watched by the youngsters in the home.

Memento is an intelligent, unique movie that is sure must see. Go, no run to your video store now and get it.

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Christopher Eccleston
Director: Alejandro Amenábar
Rated: PG-13
Synopis: Set back in post WWII era, a woman who lives in a darkened old house with her two photosensitive children become more and more convinced that their old home has become haunted.

I probably only watched this movie because Nicole Kidman was in it, and after Moulin Rouge she has become one of my favorite actors. The Others is not the horror story that the movie trailers make it out to be, but instead an eary quite ghost story type movie that will bring you to the edge of your seat.

The entire cast does an excellent job in bringing the viewers into their home, where the pecularieties of a home where two photosensitive children must live out their days.

The filming is outstanding with subtle special effects that add to the story instead of becoming a distraction.

If you like mysteries and ghost stories this is a sure thing. It is rated PG-13 and take that for what it means that children under 13 should have a parent watching with them. There is no oustanding displays of violence, etc. it is just and eary show. The kind that can be watched with your children and have the advantage of having them crawl into your laps as they become scared. Of course with the children of this story, you can't turn the lights on to make things all better.

and 1/2

Starring: Richard Dutcher, Matthew A. Brown, Wilford Brimley
Director: Richard Dutcher
Synopsis: Dark dramatic thriller about a sheriff leading a murder investigation in a small Mormon town. As the mystery unfolds, the community must deal with the disconcerting truths about the violence new to their lives.
Runtime: 115 minutes
MPAA Rating: NR
Source: HollywoodVideo.com

I must first note, that I am at Hollywood video every Tuesday night selecting the movies, which have just come out that day. All movies released to video happen on Tuesdays. So many of my reviews will be from memory. It must also be said, that from my past, I do currently suffer from “Mary Jane” memories.

Originally released on video on April 30th 2002. When I brought this movie home, my wife said, “what did you rent this for?” Seems anything with the words Brigham City or Mormon in them and she starts to shutter and convulse. It is a personal problem, I am currently seeking therapy for her on. I did not know what I was going to think of this movie. I do not think this movie had a terribly large budget to work with, However, I have found “diamond’s in the rough,” with low-budget films. I would consider this to be a “cubic zerkonian” in the rough. As a retired sheriff in the film, and a Utah resident in Wilford Brimley, I have grown to really like his acting.

The movie was surprisingly good. It had all the elements of any film sporting a huge budget could produce. There were many misleading plots within the movie, and it left you guessing as to “who dunnit” throughout the whole movie. There was even a scene in the movie that reminded me of a guy I know by the name of Stain. When the Sheriff questions a suspect, having been weeded out through a neighborhood door to door canvass of the town, not only left you admiring his porn collection, it also left you wanting to throw your lawyers calling card out because of the blatant violation of his civil rights. If having your porn collection found out by your local sheriff wasn’t bad enough, it can be construed as “twice as bad” when that sheriff is also your bishop. The story line has given intriguing dilemmas the sheriff is faced with. On one side of the coin you have the sheriff trying to find a killer, and on the other side of the coin, this same sheriff is your bishop. Which, the opposite is true for the sheriff who is trying to protect his town and it’s civilians, who are also under his spiritual guidance. I would not want to wear those two hats, one or the other, but not both.

While this film is not inundated with a large budget, or big name actors, it was a good film non-the-less, and the ending, while not surprising in totality, is a climactic one, and left me guessing to the end.

and 3/4

Vanilla Sky

Starring: Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz
Director: Cameron Crowe
Synopsis: Semi-hallucinatory romantic drama about a narcissistic magazine editor who, after a horrible car accident, becomes caught between two realities — one where he's horribly disfigured and another where he's made a full recovery and fallen in love. (Paramount)
Runtime: 130 minutes
MPAA Rating: R

It seems that Tom Cruise is in just about everything released these days. However, this film was one of the best films he has done to date that I have seen. It does not hurt when you have two wonderful actresses in Penelope Cruze and Cameron Diaz who by themselves could make any film a must see. Director Cameron Crowe himself, no matter the cast, makes any film a must see. Not to mention this film reunites Tom Cruise with Cameron Crowe since Jerry Maguire, and a Few Good Men.

With this film I found myself caught between three realities, and in the end left me wondering had any of it even happened at all. I would not call this film semi-hallucinatory, I would call it completely hallucinatory, I suspect the latter was used, based on the ending, which I would never attempt to give away. To keep on the mom-approved forum, I will say this. You get to see Cameron Diaz in thong underwear, and Penolope Cruz topless on at least two occasions, but who was counting. I found the roles of Cameron Diaz and Penolope Cruz to be somewhat reversed from previous roles I had seen them in. I found myself so entrapped in the captivating storyline that, It left me saying, “that was the most bizare movie I had ever seen, it was Awesome!” For those of you who wait until Smith’s has this movie when it is a dollar, fuggedabowdit, spend the 3.49 – 3.99 it is well worth it. Then go out and buy a DVD player, and purchase the DVD.

and 1/2