The Movie Onslaught, Part I

It’s too bad the studios wait until the end of the year to bombard us with all the ‘intelligent’ movies slated for Oscar nominations. I’ve been making my way through lots of movie and still have more to get through by the end of the year. Instead of my usual long rants, I’ll have to reduce them to bite-size opinions in order to get them all online. So here we go.

Apocalypto shows us that Mel Gibson may not know what he’s doing behind the wheel but he certainly knows what to do behind a camera. This Mayan historical/adventure is beautifully shot and well choreographed with minimal subtitled dialogue to read. The story of the destruction of a civilization is tightly told despite the 2½ hour running time. And I do mean running time. Apocalypto features one of the best chase sequences I have ever seen. Of course, with Mel Gibson comes brutal torture scenes and extreme violence. It’s not for the squeamish. Of course, I cringe when I see people running through the forest in bare feet or get hit by foliage on shirtless bodies. I have a low tolerance for pain, I guess. But I still highly recommend this picture and suggest seeing it in the theatre; if not for the edge-of-your-seat chases, at least for the epic-scale vistas that Mel Gibson brilliantly captures.

The Fountain is a treat for the eyes but not for the brain. It has been a while since Requiem for a Dream, Darren Aronofsky’s previous masterpiece. There was a lot of expectation for The Fountain and its trailer made the film look even more intriguing. Unfortunately, the triptych storytelling of past conquistadors, the present day illnesses and surreal future bubbles made the plot ultra-confusing. While cleverly put together, I didn’t find myself caring too much about the demise of Rachel Weisz and Hugh Jackman, maybe it’s because I couldn’t get invested in the characters because the story kept jumping timelines. The film isn’t a total loss however, thanks to the captivating images Arornfsky weaves throughout the movie. I guess you could break into some spiritual discussion at the conclusion of this movie, but I would suggest renting it and watching the visual landscape with the mute button on.

I get worried when I am more amazed at the casting of a movie rather than the movie itself. It impresses me that Night at the Museum would get comedic giants like Dick Van Dyk, Robin Williams, Ricky Gervais, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan and Ben Stiller to all appear in the same kiddie film. It reminds me of It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World or Rat Race. Unfortunately, all three films can only boast a well-connected casting agent and nothing more. Night at the Museum plays a lot like Jumanji, with creatures and history coming to life, only better. If I was a young kid, I would probably love this film but it doesn’t play as well for the adults. I did enjoy Owen Wilson and Steve Coogan as miniatures with an impulsive need to fight, as well as Ricky Gervais channeling his David Brent with trailing-off dialogue. In conclusion, bring your kids or elementary nieces and nephews to this film but don’t expect it to be as entertaining as The Incredibles or Pirates of the Caribbean.

One of the stupidest tags I’ve heard lately is the one calling The Good Shepherd “The Godfather of CIA movies.” Quick, name five CIA movies off the top of your head (and the Jack Ryan films only count as one). To call The Good Shepherd a Godfather movie is insulting to Francis For Coppola’s masterpiece. Maybe they said it because Robert DeNiro is in it and Coppola produced it, or maybe they are referring to the running time of three hours. I will say that the acting in this film is phenomenal. I am enjoying Matt Damon’s work more and more. He perfectly nails his role as a founder of the CIA who sacrificed everything for the good of the country. Alec Baldwin turns in another fine performance, as does William Hurt. Michael Gambon, has been in countless films, and shines in this one as a professor with some secrets up his sleeve. It’s clear that director, Robert DeNiro, gets the most out of his actors, but he doesn’t excel at telling a clear, tight story. The timeline switches back and forth between WWII and the Bay of Pigs and can sometimes get confusing with Matt Damon barely aging through the years. Okay, I’ll admit that I found this film hard to follow but maybe they did that on purpose because they’re dealing with the CIA. I found the pacing quite slow for a cloak and dagger movie, so I would suggest waiting for the DVD so you can pause, go the bathroom and make sure that everyone understands the plot.

The ads for Running With Scissors made this film look quirky enough to be compared to Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums. Unfortunately the film is not quirky enough and lacks the heart that Anderson still places in his films. Ryan Murphy, the creator of Nip/Tuck directs this unusual memoir by Augusten Burroughs. Annette Benning does a fabulous job as Augusten’s self-involved nutso mom, but the true motherly presence comes from Jill Clayburgh, who steals the show with here ‘saneness’. Alec Baldwin is fun to watch while Evan Rachel Wood gets some nice scenes. The rest of the cast bored me to death. Brian Cox is way too cartoonish, Joseph Fiennes and Gwyneth Paltrow are dull and Joseph Cross is just mediocre as Augusten (I enjoyed his younger self more). The plot has some fun quirky moments, but there is not enough to make me interested or care about the people involved. I’d wait for it on TV, or just rewatch the good parts found in the movie trailer.

That's it for now. Part II coming soon. And the best of 2006 and the best of movie genres are also on their way. Stay tuned.