1408
"That room is fucking evil."
Starring:
John Cusack
Samuel L. Jackson
Mary McCormack
Tony Shalhoub
I missed this one in the theaters meant to see, I am glad I waited for DVD. Like most Stephen King stories turned into movies it always lacks a certain plot point or feel. Like it's unfinished or something is left out.
The basic story, Mike Enslin (Cusack) is a struggling author who goes around the country debunking haunted hotels. Enslin's life hasn't turned out the way he likes, his young daughter dies of an unexplained illness, his career is a joke, and he is estranged from his wife. His life experiences have left him a faithless, sarcastic, alcoholic.
Enslin receives an intriguing post card simple telling him not to check out room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel. Surprisingly enough (note the sarcasm) after much warning and resistance from the hotel management Enslin ends up at the hotel in room 1408. Before Enslin is finally given permission to be in the room he is told of the horrors that have transpired in the room, ranging from suicides, murder, to natural deaths. The claim is no one last more than an hour in the room.
The room visit starts off normal and pretty much turns into an acid trip. The effects are good and the illusions the room plays do give it a good story line and merit. However, the over use of plot twist hamper the movie leaves it lagging in some parts. By the last 15 minutes of the movie I just wanted it to end; I stopped caring if he got out alive or the reason the room has the energy it does, which I don't think is really explained. Even the alternate endings found on the special features leave much to be desired. It started out a good movie, I think some where rest of it got left on the editing room floor.
Monday, October 29, 2007
The Red Violin 1998
The Red Violin
"What do you do when the thing you most wanted, so perfect, just comes?"
Starring:
Samuel L. Jackson
Christoph Koncz
Jean-Luc Bideau
Jason Flemyng
Carlo Cecchi
I had this movie in my queue for so long I totally forgot why I rented it. For those you who keep 50 or movies in their rental queue at all times know what I'm talking about. You place the movie in your queue and forget about it until it pops up in your mailbox.
The Red Violin stars Carlo Cecchi as Nicolo Bussotti the creator of the violin. His wife is ripe with child and he makes what is considered to be the perfect violin for his coming baby. A house servant also a fortune teller reads the wife's future and tells her of the great travels that await her after the child is born. All seems well and the future bright for the couple and child. However, tragedy strikes and he is left without child and his wife. The night his wife and child parish, he completes the violin giving it its red finish and then gives it an orphanage.
The violin is used by varies orphans for over 100 years until the time of Kaspar Weiss (Christoph Koncz) a young, very talented orphan. The monks in an effort to get the child proper training ask Georges Poussin (Jean-Luc Bideau) to tutor the boy. Poussin agrees the boy and the violin leave the orphanage. Sadly, Kaspar has a bad heart; the strain to please his teacher/father figure is too great and he dies before his playing can heard by anyone else. The monks bury the violin with the child but Poussin, in need of money breaks into the grave and take the violin to sell.
The violin travels the world with different owners mostly gypsies until it reaches England where it comes into the possession of Frederick Pope (Jason Flemyng) a highly passionate and famous violinist. From there it finds its way to China and remains there hidden because of the communist rule about foreign instruments.
After the death of its keeper the violin is taken back to modern day Montreal, where Charles Morritz (Samuel L. Jackson), discovers the truth behind the legend and the reason for the violin's unusual finish and sound. Once word gets out about The Red Violin the auction house it is commissioned to is filled with descendants and relatives of all the people the violin has come in contact with over the centuries. None of the descendants appear to be interested in playing the instrument; they simply want to have it for family reasons or to put it on display in a collection.
The movie ends with the violin continuing its journey.
Good movie if you are looking to spend an evening sitting on the couch, relaxing or if you are in the mood to be taken on a journey. I think Samuel L. Jackson was a great choice to play Charles Morritz and the role shows his varying acting range.
"What do you do when the thing you most wanted, so perfect, just comes?"
Starring:
Samuel L. Jackson
Christoph Koncz
Jean-Luc Bideau
Jason Flemyng
Carlo Cecchi
I had this movie in my queue for so long I totally forgot why I rented it. For those you who keep 50 or movies in their rental queue at all times know what I'm talking about. You place the movie in your queue and forget about it until it pops up in your mailbox.
The Red Violin stars Carlo Cecchi as Nicolo Bussotti the creator of the violin. His wife is ripe with child and he makes what is considered to be the perfect violin for his coming baby. A house servant also a fortune teller reads the wife's future and tells her of the great travels that await her after the child is born. All seems well and the future bright for the couple and child. However, tragedy strikes and he is left without child and his wife. The night his wife and child parish, he completes the violin giving it its red finish and then gives it an orphanage.
The violin is used by varies orphans for over 100 years until the time of Kaspar Weiss (Christoph Koncz) a young, very talented orphan. The monks in an effort to get the child proper training ask Georges Poussin (Jean-Luc Bideau) to tutor the boy. Poussin agrees the boy and the violin leave the orphanage. Sadly, Kaspar has a bad heart; the strain to please his teacher/father figure is too great and he dies before his playing can heard by anyone else. The monks bury the violin with the child but Poussin, in need of money breaks into the grave and take the violin to sell.
The violin travels the world with different owners mostly gypsies until it reaches England where it comes into the possession of Frederick Pope (Jason Flemyng) a highly passionate and famous violinist. From there it finds its way to China and remains there hidden because of the communist rule about foreign instruments.
After the death of its keeper the violin is taken back to modern day Montreal, where Charles Morritz (Samuel L. Jackson), discovers the truth behind the legend and the reason for the violin's unusual finish and sound. Once word gets out about The Red Violin the auction house it is commissioned to is filled with descendants and relatives of all the people the violin has come in contact with over the centuries. None of the descendants appear to be interested in playing the instrument; they simply want to have it for family reasons or to put it on display in a collection.
The movie ends with the violin continuing its journey.
Good movie if you are looking to spend an evening sitting on the couch, relaxing or if you are in the mood to be taken on a journey. I think Samuel L. Jackson was a great choice to play Charles Morritz and the role shows his varying acting range.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Pathfinder the movie review
Pathfinder the movie review
Fox films released Pathfinder: Legend of the Ghost Warrior starring Karl Urban as the ghost warrior. You may remember Karl from Doom, LOTR: The Twin Towers, LOTR: Return of The King, The Bourne Supremacy, Ghost Ship, the Chronicles of Riddick and the TV series Xena: Warrior Princess.
The movie is inspired by historical findings and based from the Dark Horse graphic novel "Pathfinder". Pathfinder is a story about a young Viking boy who is ship wrecked on Indian lands. The boy grows up with the Indians but he has trouble accepting himself and/or who he is. He is soon forced to a crossroads when the Vikings come back looking to conquer the land. This action adventure movie could be the sleeper hit of the season. The style of the cinematography is similar to the movie "300", dark, a bit grainy, and the grays colors being more pronounced while other colors are muted. The way the movie portrays the Vikings vs. the Indians is mostly in the mannerism and look of the Viking’s. For example calling the Indians savage while they are the ones slaughtering and killing everyone even children. They pillage and destroy each village not leaving a living soul behind. Also, the Viking armor is designed to make them look like nightmarish beast, complete with curved horned helmets and wearing what looks like bear pelts over their shoulders.
Another example is how the Vikings treat one another; a few flash back scenes show how Ghost, as a young boy, was treated by his father when he refused to kill another child. As the story progresses the viewer gets to see the contrast between the character Ghost and the Vikings who are suppose to be his people. The one big difference is showing compassion for others. The Vikings have none because they see it as a form of weakness which ultimately having no compassion proves to be their weakness. The movie has an array of really good action scenes and Karl Urban is great for the role. The story line is solid and doesn't get too mucked up with side stories. If you want the full effect of this movie, I would recommend seeing it while it is still in theaters.
Fox films released Pathfinder: Legend of the Ghost Warrior starring Karl Urban as the ghost warrior. You may remember Karl from Doom, LOTR: The Twin Towers, LOTR: Return of The King, The Bourne Supremacy, Ghost Ship, the Chronicles of Riddick and the TV series Xena: Warrior Princess.
The movie is inspired by historical findings and based from the Dark Horse graphic novel "Pathfinder". Pathfinder is a story about a young Viking boy who is ship wrecked on Indian lands. The boy grows up with the Indians but he has trouble accepting himself and/or who he is. He is soon forced to a crossroads when the Vikings come back looking to conquer the land. This action adventure movie could be the sleeper hit of the season. The style of the cinematography is similar to the movie "300", dark, a bit grainy, and the grays colors being more pronounced while other colors are muted. The way the movie portrays the Vikings vs. the Indians is mostly in the mannerism and look of the Viking’s. For example calling the Indians savage while they are the ones slaughtering and killing everyone even children. They pillage and destroy each village not leaving a living soul behind. Also, the Viking armor is designed to make them look like nightmarish beast, complete with curved horned helmets and wearing what looks like bear pelts over their shoulders.
Another example is how the Vikings treat one another; a few flash back scenes show how Ghost, as a young boy, was treated by his father when he refused to kill another child. As the story progresses the viewer gets to see the contrast between the character Ghost and the Vikings who are suppose to be his people. The one big difference is showing compassion for others. The Vikings have none because they see it as a form of weakness which ultimately having no compassion proves to be their weakness. The movie has an array of really good action scenes and Karl Urban is great for the role. The story line is solid and doesn't get too mucked up with side stories. If you want the full effect of this movie, I would recommend seeing it while it is still in theaters.
The Squid and The Whale
Movie review: The Squid and The Whale (2005)
The Squid and The Whale (2005)
Premiered at the Sundance film festival in 2005, and is now available for rental. Written and directed by Noah Baumbach
Bernard Berkman, the father, is played by Jeff Daniels. The mother, Joan Berkman, is played by Laura Linney. The youngest son, Frank, is played by Owen Kline, Kevin Kline’s son and the oldest son, Walt, played by Jesse Eisenberg. The movie also stars Anna Paquin and William Baldwin.
The movie takes place in Brooklyn, New York in the late 1980’s and is based on the true story about Noah Baumbach’s experiences during his parents divorce. The parent’s marriage was already on thin ice. However, the distance grows when Bernard Berkman, a once successful writer turned teacher becomes jealous when his wife, Joan starts to taste success on her own also as a writer. As the family dissolves the children begin to take sides and act out. Walt becomes influenced by his father and blames the mother for the divorce, while Frank clings to the mother and begins to show signs of hating himself because he is his father’s son. The situation becomes more complicated when alcohol and behavioral problems start to plague both sons.
The movie does not have a happy ending and does not give any resolution to the problems. It’s meant to give a glimpse into what happened to one family when divorce splits the parents and the children are left to grow up on a custody schedule, or become the go between for communication between the parents.
The storyline is well paced and is a good pick if you want to watch a drama that doesn't go over the edge with the tear jerker moments.
The Squid and The Whale (2005)
Premiered at the Sundance film festival in 2005, and is now available for rental. Written and directed by Noah Baumbach
Bernard Berkman, the father, is played by Jeff Daniels. The mother, Joan Berkman, is played by Laura Linney. The youngest son, Frank, is played by Owen Kline, Kevin Kline’s son and the oldest son, Walt, played by Jesse Eisenberg. The movie also stars Anna Paquin and William Baldwin.
The movie takes place in Brooklyn, New York in the late 1980’s and is based on the true story about Noah Baumbach’s experiences during his parents divorce. The parent’s marriage was already on thin ice. However, the distance grows when Bernard Berkman, a once successful writer turned teacher becomes jealous when his wife, Joan starts to taste success on her own also as a writer. As the family dissolves the children begin to take sides and act out. Walt becomes influenced by his father and blames the mother for the divorce, while Frank clings to the mother and begins to show signs of hating himself because he is his father’s son. The situation becomes more complicated when alcohol and behavioral problems start to plague both sons.
The movie does not have a happy ending and does not give any resolution to the problems. It’s meant to give a glimpse into what happened to one family when divorce splits the parents and the children are left to grow up on a custody schedule, or become the go between for communication between the parents.
The storyline is well paced and is a good pick if you want to watch a drama that doesn't go over the edge with the tear jerker moments.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
