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Reviews
Red State (2011)
Second viewing leads to deeper appreciation
Let me preface this review by saying that I am a Kevin Smith fan, so I was predisposed to enjoying this movie. Having said that, I will actually admit that I did not love this movie with the first viewing. My first thoughts were that the movie felt like three different stories stitched together, none with satisfying endings. It brought back memories of the original cut of Clerks, in which Smith admittedly said something to the effect of not knowing how to properly end a story.
Despite these flaws, something compelled me to re-watch the movie. A second viewing revealed exactly what. Each of the actors delivers and amazing performance. Nicholas Braun, Michael Angarano, and Kyle Gallner each take not-so-likable characters and turn them into people you actually root for. Melissa Leo turns in a performance that had me uttering the phrase, "Second Oscar." I had not seen John Goodman in anything in quite a while, and this movie reminded me of why I absolutely love him as an actor. Finally Michael Parks...never has a hate- sermon been so compelling. The man is simply an undeniable talent.
The second viewing also led me to enjoy the movie much more as a whole. Each of the story lines has a great build-up, yet I still maintain that at least two of them came to such abrupt and unsatisfying endings. The final sequence leaves a bit of a chilling atmosphere. Even after this second viewing, I still don't love the movie, but I do like it enough to recommend it to anyone who wants to see a film with a gritty film with a true indie-feel to it along with some unsettling darkness.
Pleasantville (1998)
an amusing parody that moves on to commentary
When I initially walked into this movie, I was expecting nothing more than a parody of many of the 50's sitcoms that we've come to know and love. While the element of parody is still there, I found this movie to provide much more.
This movie follows the story of David (Tobey Maguire) and Jennifer (Reese Witherspoon) as they get sucked into the show Pleasantville (which is named after the town the show takes place in). The two are forced to take on the roles of Bud and Mary Sue Parker. David, a massive fan of the show, struggles to maintain the status quo of the nostalgic land that he loves so much. Jennifer, on the other hand, is out to be her own woman, never minding the ramifications that this may have on her new environment. Along the way, the two find themselves pushing against the rigid social homogeneity and the psychological repression that is unmistakeably characteristic of this TV genre. With each push, the town's citizens and the town, itself, find themselves in ambivalence of the newfound color that the two have brought.
The use of color is an obvious technical marvel for this film. The contrast of colored environments and characters with their black and white counterparts is amazing, and it's easy to see why this movie earned so many technical accolades. In addition to the technical aspects, the cast is wonderfully assembled. Both Maguire and Witherspoon give some of the best performances of their career. Joan Allen, Willam H. Macy, and Jeff Daniels adeptly play the 50's character stereotype yet also give a smooth transition for their characters' evolution towards their more "enlightened" colored selves. Some of the imagery used is both hilarious and insightful, combining some biblical themes with a slightly more modern context.
I've re-watched this film several times on DVD, and I never get tired of it. I only wish I could get my hands on the amazing mural used towards the end of the film.
Angels in the Outfield (1994)
enjoyable more for its depictions of foster homes rather than baseball
I happened to catch this movie on cable one afternoon. I have to admit that I've never been a big baseball fan, but I can sometimes get into a good sports-related movie. What I found more interesting was the depiction of the foster family system. As a therapist who has seen both the good and the bad of the community mental health and foster system, I though it was rather refreshing to see a movie that showed both the ups and downs of this system: people jumping from family to family, biological parents not always taking an active involvement, and transitions that can be but heart-wrenching and heart-melting. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Danny Glover are the anchor of this film, and both bring very believable performances. Maybe it was just my emotional state, but I did find myself shedding a tear at the end of the film.
Sky High (2005)
A movie that both parents and kids will enjoy
Take a bit of each of the major superhero movies (X-Men, Superman, Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, etc.), add in a dash of Harry Potter, sprinkle in some Mean Girls, and what do you get? An entertaining movie that has both kid and adult appeal!
Michael Angarano stars as Will Stronghold, son of possibly the two most popular superheroes in recent history, The Commander (Kurt Russel) and Jet Stream (Kelly Preston). Will is of course, expected to carry on the family legacy. The only problem is that Will has not yet developed his super powers. He enters super hero high school with his best friend Layla (Danielle Panabaker) and as soon as they enter high school, he and his peers are separated into class groups, the sidekicks and the heroes, which provides the source of the social hierarchy at the school. Along the way, he meets some well-meaning sidekicks (Nicholas Braun, Kelly Vitz, Dee Jay Daniels) and some bullying heroes (Will Harris, Jake Sandvig). During his first year, Will has to maneuver how to deal with the elitist heroes, his crush (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), and a social outcast already out to get him (Steven Strait). The mostly adolescent cast has a great chemistry, and Angarano is definitely developing as an actor. I did find Winstead's performance mildly annoying, but it tends to lend well to her character.
This movie has the visual sight gags that will entertain children, and it also has some more subtle moments that appeal to adults. The actors that portray the adults (Bruce Campbell, Kevin McDonald, Lynda Carter, etc.) deliver some one-liners that the adults will definitely enjoy without distracting too much from the main story.
The plot is somewhat simple and formulaic. Seasoned movie viewers will see certain plot points coming from a mile away. However, such is the plight of a children's movie. Nevertheless, there is still plenty for the audience to enjoy, from special effects, to exciting action sequences, to one-liners, to parodies of some well-known superhero stereotypes.
This is not a movie out to make a monumental statement, rather a movie to just sit back and enjoy.
Almost Famous (2000)
simply amazing
This movie is so incredibly enjoyable for so many reasons. What initially drew me in was the soundtrack. I am a huge fan of 60's/70's music. I always wished I was alive and conscious during this time to really see and appreciate the music as it the world was witnessing for the first time as well. Second, Cameron Crowe crafted an amazing script and pulled great performances out of the actors. Given that the script is semi-autobiographical, the movie gives a great peak both at the journalist life and the life of a band on the road. The dialogue is wonderfully written with several quotable moments. The triangle between Billy Crudup, Patrick Fugit, and Kate Hudson interplays so well. Although Jason Lee's character is more of a side character, his performance brings the role out and is one of the best performances of his career. Finally, the cinematography is brilliant. Simply the use of characters' eyes is subtle yet amazing. If only there were more movies like this.
The Matrix (1999)
possibly one of the most over-rated movies in recent history
If you want a movie that showcases special effects over substance, this is a movie to watch. Of course, some of the innovative special effects of the time have since been over-used in just about every movie that followed this one. Otherwise, the characters and story-line are utterly uninspired and unoriginal. Repeated viewings have been rather painful Keanu Reeves is within his element by playing the utterly clueless protagonist (see Bill & Ted). People have often praised the story for raising such existential questions, but I feel the same question was approached and done much more effectively in movies such as The City of Lost Children and Dark City. The Matrix is just simply an over-rated and bloated piece of crap.