took some time to get caught up on a couple films released months ago--one likely award-season contender nearing end of limited run here in l.a., one underground comedy hit finding legs on dvd.
elegy--
i Really like this script, based on a philip roth novel and deftly adapted by nicholas meyer (the human stain). unflinching dissection of aging masculinity showcases ben kingsley--one of his best performances--with intelligence, charm, and humanity. penelope cruz moves with coy, subtle grace and warmth heretofore undiscovered in english-language work. perhaps aided by spanish compatriot, gifted director isabel coixet, who shows knack for pacing and sensivity to emotion. look for distinction at independent spirit awards.
humanity: 4 stars
* the foot fist way (BONUS dvd review)--
great porn title is literal translation of true subject matter, tae kwon do. championed by will ferrell & adam mckay, distributed by mtv films, absurdist comedy in their collective spirit. put lead danny mcbride (tropic thunder, pineapple express) on hollywood map. crafty premise for caricature silliness, beyond its star discovery...
nothing special: 2 stars
Showing posts with label ben kingsley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ben kingsley. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
labor pains
labor day is a traditionally brutal holiday for movie-goers. you can count on a bunch of stinkers being dropped in at the multiplex between the summer tentpoles and the fall award hopefuls. best to stick to the art houses for a couple weeks or revisit some of your seasonal popcorn faves.
transsiberian--
made enough impact at sundance this year to get picked up for limited release, but wow has it gone quietly. unfairly so. i enjoyed this crafty indy piece, especially the squirrelly second act buildup. casting was a boon: apropos rube woody harrelson, pitch-perfect lead emily mortimer (ever under the radar, quietly becoming one of my favorites), always-accented antagonist ben kingsley.... sufficiently suspenseful and mostly believable, pic presents series of twisted conundrums (relationship drama, anyone?) to keep viewer squirming.
crafty: 3 stars
transsiberian--
made enough impact at sundance this year to get picked up for limited release, but wow has it gone quietly. unfairly so. i enjoyed this crafty indy piece, especially the squirrelly second act buildup. casting was a boon: apropos rube woody harrelson, pitch-perfect lead emily mortimer (ever under the radar, quietly becoming one of my favorites), always-accented antagonist ben kingsley.... sufficiently suspenseful and mostly believable, pic presents series of twisted conundrums (relationship drama, anyone?) to keep viewer squirming.
crafty: 3 stars
Thursday, July 17, 2008
the average-ness
next week: reviews of the dark knight and mama mia!
hellboy II: the golden army--
most obvious and most important is that this is a guillermo del toro project through & through. he wrote and directed, so it comes loaded with his signature flair. his vision is truly singular, and the hellboy universe serves as an apropos playground for all its bizarre manifestations. we're treated to more unique creatures than frequent the star wars cantina, yet sadly they do little to adequately fatten up the lean story. our hero's not the most complex character in the comic pantheon, and not a terrible lot happens in this sequel. fun filmmaking, lightweight product.
obvious: 2 stars
the wackness--
i don't consider it a Good thing when a soundtrack is the best aspect of a film. what i recall from every review since this festival fave dropped gave props to the old-school hip-hop flavor, not much else; now i see why. sir ben kingsley's accent is truly scattershot, yet at least his performance feels risky. that's more than can be said of the two youngsters at the heart of the story, or even of the story itself. feels like when the knighted one got involved, this film got the green light that it needed, when really there's just not much to it. not exactly wack, far from dope, more like average.
average: 2 stars
hellboy II: the golden army--
most obvious and most important is that this is a guillermo del toro project through & through. he wrote and directed, so it comes loaded with his signature flair. his vision is truly singular, and the hellboy universe serves as an apropos playground for all its bizarre manifestations. we're treated to more unique creatures than frequent the star wars cantina, yet sadly they do little to adequately fatten up the lean story. our hero's not the most complex character in the comic pantheon, and not a terrible lot happens in this sequel. fun filmmaking, lightweight product.
obvious: 2 stars
the wackness--
i don't consider it a Good thing when a soundtrack is the best aspect of a film. what i recall from every review since this festival fave dropped gave props to the old-school hip-hop flavor, not much else; now i see why. sir ben kingsley's accent is truly scattershot, yet at least his performance feels risky. that's more than can be said of the two youngsters at the heart of the story, or even of the story itself. feels like when the knighted one got involved, this film got the green light that it needed, when really there's just not much to it. not exactly wack, far from dope, more like average.
average: 2 stars
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