: disconnect, disunite
Happy first day of November, readers! Hope everyone had a safe and intriguing Halloween - I know we did.
Let's take a quick look at some of the movies coming out this weekend. A few of them are getting excellent reviews.
Flight Denzel Washington, after a decade of crap, is getting some of the best reviews of his career and is a surefire Oscar contender as Whip Whitaker, a cocky pilot whose life after a harrowing crash dissolves into a mess. Robert Zemeckis (Cast Away, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? etc.) is supposed to be at the top of his form here, and the script by John Gatins might just take home the Oscar. The special effects are reputed to be unnervingly good, and there's a terrific cast supporting the marvelous Washington: John Goodman as his his cocaine dealer, Don Cheadle as a cold-blooded lawyer, Bruce Greenwood as his friend, English actress Kelly Reilly (doing a Southern accent) as a fellow alcoholic, and Brian Geraghty ( ATM, The Hurt Locker) as a fellow pilot.
Verdict: Very Interested
The Bay Director Barry Levinson (Rain Man, Diner, Bugsy) in a genre he's never done before: horror. Specifically, found-footage horror. The reviews are really, really good for this inspired-by-true-events story (!) about the terrifying events that occurred in a small Chesapeake Bay seaside town in 2009. Levinson, working with unknown actors, tells the story of the biological catastrophe (don't go in the water!) that authorities tried to cover up through "found footage" such as iPhones, webcams, Androids, cell phones, etc. Ingenious.
Verdict: Very Interested
Wreck-it-Ralph An animated kids movie about a video game character (voiced by John C. Reilly) who is tired of the game he is stuck in and, more specifically, the role of villain he is destined to play. He breaks out of his role and tries to prove his worthiness.... or something like that. Good reviews. Voice players include Jane Lynch, Mindy Kaling, Jack McBrayer, Ed O'Neill, and Sarah Silverman.
Verdict: Not Interested
This Must Be the Place Boy, this one sounds odd. Sean Penn, decked out in mascara like the Cure's Robert Smith (and speaking in a fey, disaffected voice), is a 50-year old former rock star/turned Nazi hunter (!) making his way across America to avenge his father's injustices. Judd Hirsch and Harry Dean Stanton are here, as is Frances McDormand as Penn's wife. Critics like it - and Penn's understated performance. Challenging and beautiful to look at, the film takes its title from the Talking Heads song.
Verdict: Interested
The Details A good cast in a poorly-reviewed satire about a suburban husband (Tobey Maguire) who becomes fed-up (to say the least) with the raccoons damaging his property. Cue the drugs, adultery, organ donation, extortion and murder. Wild tonal shifts apparently. Laura Linney, Elizabeth Banks, Ray Liotta, Kerry Washington, and Dennis Haysbert are among the cast. I'm kind of curious, but the preview didn't look that good.
Verdict: Mildly Interested
The Man With the Iron Fists Hmmm... The Wu-Tang Clan's RZA directs and stars in this epic martial-arts adventure set in 19th-century China. Not screened for critics. Somehow, RZA got his friend Russell Crowe to tag along for a meaty supporting role.
Verdict: Not Interested
Vamps Clueless writer-director Amy Heckerling returns after a long absence with this comedy about two modern NYC club-hopping single women (Alicia Silverstone and Krysten Ritter) who just happen to be vampires. It hasn't been screened for enough critics yet to gauge its quality - but frankly, you probably already know if you want to see it or not. Justin Kirk, Sigourney Weaver, Malcolm McDowell, Wallace Shawn, and Richard Lewis co-star.
Verdict: Mildly Interested
*
A performance today for my 500 Greatest Performances of All Time? How about two - by the same actor?
Charles Chaplin
as a Tramp in City Lights (1931)
and
as a Factory Worker in Modern Times (1936)
What can I say? These are unimprovable performances. Who today could balance the comedy and pathos - and sheer physical eloquence - of silent comedy with such grace? Well, Jean Dujardin tried - and won an Oscar for the effort!
*
A pick for tonight? Gee, what a who-cares game! I'll give it to the underachieving San Diego just because they're at home, and Kansas City is truly godawful, which is a mystery in and of itself, considering that they have plenty of good players.
San Diego 30, Kansas City 13
*
Check back in tomorrow for some movie reviews and a brief bio of Joseph Radetzky (born on Nov. 2, that's why)
Images:
http://www.creativelydifferentblinds.com/BlindImages/1228.jpg
http://www.thingsyoungerthanmccain.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/modern-times.jpg
http://hiphollywood.com/wp-content/themes/morning/functions/theme/thumb.php?src=http://hiphollywood.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Screen-shot-2012-06-07-at-3.50.19-PM.png&w=630&h=350&zc=1&a=c
http://thefilmexperience.net/storage/2012/thebay-still.jpeg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1349265479418
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