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Reviews
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Scenery Chewing Debacle
Okay, I'll cop to this up front. I'm not of the Star Wars faithful. I thought it was a poorly done excuse for compelling science fiction back in 1976 and nothing has changed. George Lucas has perfected the art of printing money thanks to a generation of paying customers who think that visual and audio stimulation, combined with cheesy and unconvincingly delivered dialogue, makes for a good film franchise. The geeks will slap down their money at least ten times each for this chunk. The profit machine that is Star Wars is not in doubt. However, don't try to sell me the fiction that this is good film making. Where to start? The acting was horrific in "Revenge of the Sith". The story was apparently doodled on the back of a matchbook cover. The good guys dress like fashion challenged apostles and the bad guys resemble mechanized cartoon insects. The fight scenes look exactly as they did 30 years ago. Dialogue is delivered awkwardly and oh so s-l-o-w-l-y to suggest that what is being said is grandly significant. If you're a Star Wars fan, you will pay and gush and pay and gush again and again. If they ever finally do move out of their parent's basements, they may realize that they are only worshipping at the altar of the greatest marketing machine ever conceived. There's not a thing wrong with money, but just once, give the rest of us something worth paying for. You shouldn't have to be a hardened cult member to enjoy a film. Though I was dragged to "Revenge of the Sith" by a friend, I take full responsibility for utterly wasting $9.75. I can only hope that George Lucas will invest my money in a used copy of "Screenplay" by Syd Field.
Fever Pitch (2005)
Manna for Sox freaks and decent otherwise
I was prepared to dislike Jimmy Fallon thanks to his exceptionally wooden and cutesy turns on the dreadful Saturday Night Live, but Fallon was a surprisingly good piece of casting in "Fever Pitch". Fallon gives his character more that a little arrested adolescence, but the right love can make you grow up in ways that matter most.
If you're a Yankee fan, your opinion just doesn't count here. This film is a valentine to the unique set of insecurities endured by all Red Sox fans. The film surprised me because the baseball theme didn't suffocate the love story and the love story is palatable to baseball freaks who demand little else. Drew Barrymore is allowed to display her goodhearted charm and the Farrelleys have crafted a decent film that Sox fans will add to their many Red Sox gimcracks. This film has just enough substance to pass muster. Barrymore and Fallon actually made for an unlikely, though believable couple. The movie pays tribute to an extraordinary time and place in the obsession that is the Red Sox. Take it for what it is and enjoy yourself.
Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Over-hyped and Overwrought
"Million Dollar Baby" takes the well worn boxing genre and turns it into so much mawkish manipulation. Though Hillary Swank gives a great performance, the story is painfully transparent. The use of the omniscient voice-over distracts from what is happening on the screen. Clint Eastwood airs out his limited selection of old catchers mitt expressions and Morgan Freeman is his typecast old self as the wizened presence with a hatful of aphorisms. This film covers no new ground and you might be left with a desire to approach the theater manager about a refund. When a film has the Oscar prognosticators panting only ten minutes after the film has opened, you may have seen a great film, or you may have been sold a bill of goods. If you can remove every boxing film cliché' from your brain before sitting down to watch, "Million Dollar Baby" might be the former. If not, carefully fold your money, and go see something with a little more creativity and depth.
By the Sea (2002)
A little gem with winning performances
"By The Sea" is a quiet film with light charms and an enduring theme to pull it all together. The performances range from measured to a little over the top, but an appealing love story can forgive a bit of exuberance.
Lena is a young Cuban-American chef who leaves her New York life behind after her imagined future falls like a ruined soufflé'. She lands a job at a New England inn and starts to navigate a new future. She never imagines that the game of baseball and a new love would combine to challenge her long held assumptions about her destiny. This film deals with a classic theme, but the presentation is inventive and manages to meld an eclectic cast in ways you wouldn't expect. If you want a formula love story, this is not your film. The setting is a pure delight and provides the texture that memorable stories require. Elena Aaron lends a demure and sexy quality to a character who begins to know and accept herself as the film progresses. She holds the screen, but remains understated in general. Watch for the small moments, and you'll find that they add up to a creative, fun and worthwhile experience. You'll simply enjoy this film.