Showing posts with label Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Review. Show all posts
Monday, January 20, 2014
Review: Damages (2007)
FX’s Damages is more than a legal drama. It’s a ferocious thriller and
absorbing mystery that dares to be bold, despite its tried-and-true genre.
Review: Chicago (2002)
Shimmering
and dim in equal measure, Chicago is
an empty-headed beauty. This vapid glitterfest musical is one hot mess.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Review: The Night Stalker (1972) and Night Stalker (2005)
ABC's 1972 TV movie The Night Stalker serves viewers a hefty slice of cheese with a nice side of camp. Though scare-free and completely ludicrous, it's a pretty fun time.
Review: The Magnificent Seven (1960)
The Magnificent Seven? More like The Middling Seven. This overlong western is as dry and empty as the desert it's set in.
Review: Chinatown (1974)
If Chinatown proves one thing, it's this: Roman Polanski is an artist. He makes up for the standard noir's lackluster story with stylish and sophisticated execution.
Review: The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The Shawshank Redemption soars. It's a timeless cinematic achievement that transcends its dark setting with surprising grace and beauty.
Review: The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
Director John Ford captures the Great Depression simplicity and authenticity in his quiet epic The Grapes of Wrath. It is an absorbing portrait of loss and resilience during one of the bleakest periods in American history.
Review: Dreams with Sharp Teeth (2008)
Dreams with Sharp Teeth is a frustratingly adequate documentary that wastes its outrageous subject on mundane execution. Viewers hoping for a fresh, inventive look at a provocative author will be sorely disappointed.
Review: Reign (2013)
With pretty and passionless actors reciting ridiculous dialogue against a lush European backdrop, the CW's Reign is the definition of empty beauty.
Saturday, January 18, 2014
TV Review: Intelligence (2014)
CBS' Intelligence is a cheesy, vanilla-flavored cyber thriller that manages to be both laughably bad and completely inoffensive.
TV Review: Almost Human (2013)
Fox's Almost Human is almost great. Threatening to be merely conventional, this futuristic sci-fi drama is saved by marvelous production values and a memorable cast of characters.
Friday, January 17, 2014
TV Review: The Blacklist (2013)
NBC's The Blacklist is a tense, clever mystery that's sure to thrill audiences. Driven by skillful storytelling and James Spader's charismatic scenery chewing, it's a fun -- and unsettling -- ride.
TV Review: Sleepy Hollow (2013)
Fox's Sleepy Hollow, an update of Washington Irving's classic story, is typically strange and strangely typical. Despite an outlandish plot that strives for thrills and intrigue, it's just your run-of-the-mill horror fantasy.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Review: The Sixth Sense (1999)
October 2010
Halloween Pick of the Week: The Sixth Sense
By: Emily Morgan
Halloween Pick of the Week: The Sixth Sense
By: Emily Morgan
In 1999, director M. Night Shyamalan had a breakthrough success with the release of his third feature, The Sixth Sense. The movie, a supernatural drama starring Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette, and Olivia Williams, grossed over $670 million worldwide and earned six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director (Shyamalan), Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor (Osment), and Best Supporting Actress (Collette). The praise was well-deserved. The picture is a well-crafted piece of cinema that does what so many modern horror films forget to do: develop characters that we care about, making their vulnerability or endangerment all the more frightening. Also, the atmosphere created by Shyamalan is pitch-perfect, eerie and cool throughout, thanks to the use of a simple score, autumn setting, and rather dark camera work. The real topper here is the acting. The leads – particularly Osment and Collette – are wonderful, portraying every emotion genuinely, making the individuals they play seem quite real. All of these components combine to make a staggering piece of art that still stands as M. Night Shyamalan’s best work and a masterpiece of the paranormal genre. A+
Friday, March 11, 2011
Review: Psycho (1960)
Another review for my school paper.
Before killers terrorized teens, black comedy-style, making them Scream; before Freddy turned a dream into A Nightmare on Elm Street; before Jason (and his mom) terrorized the kids at Camp Crystal Lake on Friday the 13th; and before he came home on Halloween, there was a lonely man and his overbearing mother in the granddaddy of all slasher films, Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 masterwork Psycho.
The timeless horror film stars Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates, the boyish proprietor of the Bates Motel who is stuck under the watchful eye of his invalid mother, and Janet Leigh as Marion Crane, a woman on the run from the law who happens upon the inn one stormy night. Hitchcock, widely considered one of the best, if not the best, directors of all-time, creates an unforgettable film here. It is arguably the most impressive work from his long list of masterpieces. The mood of the film is created flawlessly; tension reigns from the first time we hear Bernard Herrmann’s infamous score, with its unique sound that builds suspense like no other. The film is shot in beautiful black-and-white that, through its dark shades and shadows, lends a kind of eeriness that would have been nonexistent had the movie been done in the popular Technicolor of the day. There may have little in the gore department compared to what we see today, but the sense of menace, lurking throughout, outdoes most of the cheaply-made modern thrillers that Hollywood seems to constantly churn out.
The acting in Psycho is uniformly good. Two people in particular shine: Janet Leigh and, of course, Anthony Perkins in one of the greatest performances ever committed to celluloid. He is charming and creepy and sympathetic, all at once. At first you believe him to be just a sad figure, trapped by a feeling of responsibility to his mother. Then, he begins to show his different sides, and you become unsure of what he is capable of doing. It is first-rate performing that is a pleasure to watch.
Psycho was ranked the fourteenth greatest film ever made by the American Film Institute, and for good reason; they really do not get much better than this. It seamlessly blends expert technical precision with immense entertainment. This is one of those films that must be seen by anyone who considers themselves a film fan or horror movie buff to completely earn that title. It is a dazzling achievement, a work for the ages that has rightfully become a classic. A+
P.S. If you are lucky enough not to know the twist, do not let anybody ruin it for you.
Before killers terrorized teens, black comedy-style, making them Scream; before Freddy turned a dream into A Nightmare on Elm Street; before Jason (and his mom) terrorized the kids at Camp Crystal Lake on Friday the 13th; and before he came home on Halloween, there was a lonely man and his overbearing mother in the granddaddy of all slasher films, Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 masterwork Psycho.
The timeless horror film stars Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates, the boyish proprietor of the Bates Motel who is stuck under the watchful eye of his invalid mother, and Janet Leigh as Marion Crane, a woman on the run from the law who happens upon the inn one stormy night. Hitchcock, widely considered one of the best, if not the best, directors of all-time, creates an unforgettable film here. It is arguably the most impressive work from his long list of masterpieces. The mood of the film is created flawlessly; tension reigns from the first time we hear Bernard Herrmann’s infamous score, with its unique sound that builds suspense like no other. The film is shot in beautiful black-and-white that, through its dark shades and shadows, lends a kind of eeriness that would have been nonexistent had the movie been done in the popular Technicolor of the day. There may have little in the gore department compared to what we see today, but the sense of menace, lurking throughout, outdoes most of the cheaply-made modern thrillers that Hollywood seems to constantly churn out.
The acting in Psycho is uniformly good. Two people in particular shine: Janet Leigh and, of course, Anthony Perkins in one of the greatest performances ever committed to celluloid. He is charming and creepy and sympathetic, all at once. At first you believe him to be just a sad figure, trapped by a feeling of responsibility to his mother. Then, he begins to show his different sides, and you become unsure of what he is capable of doing. It is first-rate performing that is a pleasure to watch.
Psycho was ranked the fourteenth greatest film ever made by the American Film Institute, and for good reason; they really do not get much better than this. It seamlessly blends expert technical precision with immense entertainment. This is one of those films that must be seen by anyone who considers themselves a film fan or horror movie buff to completely earn that title. It is a dazzling achievement, a work for the ages that has rightfully become a classic. A+
P.S. If you are lucky enough not to know the twist, do not let anybody ruin it for you.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Review: State of Play (2009)
This is a review I wrote for my school's newspaper last year.
In the year 2003, BBC One broadcasted a BAFTA-winning six-hour miniseries about political corruption in London and the journalists who attempt to uncover it. In 2009, this critically acclaimed TV drama was slimmed down to a two hour film adaptation, moving across the pond to Washington, D.C.
The plot revolves around the aftermath of the death of Sonia Baker, the mistress of a Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck). Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe), a Washington Globe reporter and longtime friend of Collins, suspects that the girl’s demise was no accident, and is intent on getting to the bottom of the event. To aid him in his mission, his boss (Helen Mirren), teams McAffrey up with up-and-coming blogger Della Frye (Rachel McAdams). Together, they seek the truth being hidden by dishonest politicos and a corporate cover-up.
This is a well-made film. Director Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland) keeps it taut and fast-paced, but still coherent, which is a quite a feat considering how many twists and turns this thing takes. The press is presented as a detective, looking for clues, desperate to solve the mystery, not in order to physically condemn the criminal, but to convict them in the minds of the readers, to achieve justice in that way; the glory of getting the story first does not hurt either. It is the element of “whodunit” and the process of finding out just that that has always made journalism films so fascinating, and that is certainly true of this one. The audience is kept engaged by the tense atmosphere that Macdonald creates through his use of music and sometimes shadowy, sometimes dusty cinematography; dimly lit scenes reflect the characters’ situations of being in the dark, not knowing what they are getting into, with bright ones signaling the revelation of something new. The director assures us that State of Play is in good hands with these types of subtleties, leaving it to the actors to really bring it home.
The performances are good - not great - all-around. Crowe is convincing as the smart, determined writer who would do anything to find out what really happened, as is McAdams as the naïve sidekick, eager to work on her first big story. Legendary British actress Helen Mirren is typically good as the newspaper editor who cares less about details and more about deadlines, bringing wit and charisma to the part. Ben Affleck and Robin Wright-Penn (The Princess Bride, Forrest Gump), are believable as a couple forced to have dignity and grace amidst a scandal that strains their already rocky relationship. Everyone does a fine job, but there is nothing especially noteworthy among the actors – that is until a little over an hour into the film, when one Mr. Jason Bateman (Arrested Development, Juno) shows up in a bit-part as an eccentric, fast-talking, pill-popping PR man who may have just the information needed to find the missing piece of the puzzle. Here, Bateman creates an interesting character that sticks in the mind after his short appearance is over, giving a reminder of the unimportance of how “small” a part is.
State of Play's screenplay keeps it from becoming a great film. Not to be mistaken, the script is intelligently written and impressive bearing in mind the expanse of the source material. However, there are two main problems: the characterization of supporting players and the plot twists. More information on the characters - aside from Cal - would have been helpful in attaching to them, specifically in the case of Della Frye; having a deeper sense of her personality and life may have lent more tension to scenes in which she is endangered, as well as more interest in her in general. The latter issue mentioned is the larger one. With each plot twist, the film turns out to be less probable, and the viewer less involved.
Even with the aforementioned hindrances, the film does not sink. We receive a motion picture that does not insult our intellect with simplistic dialogue and plot devices; the themes of the movie call upon us to think about the significance of our news publications in shaping our ideas about politics, crime, and big business, and how they should be responsibly handled. While it may not be destined to become a classic, State of Play is a picture that is worth a watch for the questions it raises in sharp manner. B
In the year 2003, BBC One broadcasted a BAFTA-winning six-hour miniseries about political corruption in London and the journalists who attempt to uncover it. In 2009, this critically acclaimed TV drama was slimmed down to a two hour film adaptation, moving across the pond to Washington, D.C.
The plot revolves around the aftermath of the death of Sonia Baker, the mistress of a Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck). Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe), a Washington Globe reporter and longtime friend of Collins, suspects that the girl’s demise was no accident, and is intent on getting to the bottom of the event. To aid him in his mission, his boss (Helen Mirren), teams McAffrey up with up-and-coming blogger Della Frye (Rachel McAdams). Together, they seek the truth being hidden by dishonest politicos and a corporate cover-up.
This is a well-made film. Director Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland) keeps it taut and fast-paced, but still coherent, which is a quite a feat considering how many twists and turns this thing takes. The press is presented as a detective, looking for clues, desperate to solve the mystery, not in order to physically condemn the criminal, but to convict them in the minds of the readers, to achieve justice in that way; the glory of getting the story first does not hurt either. It is the element of “whodunit” and the process of finding out just that that has always made journalism films so fascinating, and that is certainly true of this one. The audience is kept engaged by the tense atmosphere that Macdonald creates through his use of music and sometimes shadowy, sometimes dusty cinematography; dimly lit scenes reflect the characters’ situations of being in the dark, not knowing what they are getting into, with bright ones signaling the revelation of something new. The director assures us that State of Play is in good hands with these types of subtleties, leaving it to the actors to really bring it home.
The performances are good - not great - all-around. Crowe is convincing as the smart, determined writer who would do anything to find out what really happened, as is McAdams as the naïve sidekick, eager to work on her first big story. Legendary British actress Helen Mirren is typically good as the newspaper editor who cares less about details and more about deadlines, bringing wit and charisma to the part. Ben Affleck and Robin Wright-Penn (The Princess Bride, Forrest Gump), are believable as a couple forced to have dignity and grace amidst a scandal that strains their already rocky relationship. Everyone does a fine job, but there is nothing especially noteworthy among the actors – that is until a little over an hour into the film, when one Mr. Jason Bateman (Arrested Development, Juno) shows up in a bit-part as an eccentric, fast-talking, pill-popping PR man who may have just the information needed to find the missing piece of the puzzle. Here, Bateman creates an interesting character that sticks in the mind after his short appearance is over, giving a reminder of the unimportance of how “small” a part is.
State of Play's screenplay keeps it from becoming a great film. Not to be mistaken, the script is intelligently written and impressive bearing in mind the expanse of the source material. However, there are two main problems: the characterization of supporting players and the plot twists. More information on the characters - aside from Cal - would have been helpful in attaching to them, specifically in the case of Della Frye; having a deeper sense of her personality and life may have lent more tension to scenes in which she is endangered, as well as more interest in her in general. The latter issue mentioned is the larger one. With each plot twist, the film turns out to be less probable, and the viewer less involved.
Even with the aforementioned hindrances, the film does not sink. We receive a motion picture that does not insult our intellect with simplistic dialogue and plot devices; the themes of the movie call upon us to think about the significance of our news publications in shaping our ideas about politics, crime, and big business, and how they should be responsibly handled. While it may not be destined to become a classic, State of Play is a picture that is worth a watch for the questions it raises in sharp manner. B
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)