Reviews

Each year, less than 50 % of mainstream AMC films can truly be called "good movies." The majority of them are unoriginal, poorly made, or crowd-pleasers. When it comes to the horror genre, it is rare to see a true mainstream gem.

This year, Eli Roth's pseudo-horror film, "Hostel," is best described as a modern Roman coliseum. It is a wasteful piece of violence and sex-filled entertainment, in which moviegoers, sadly, waste their money on. At the local Cineplex, "Hostel," was sold out opening night. The audience laughed and cheered at the sex, violence, and torture. Entertainment, and film-going in general, has reached a pathetic new height.

The premise of "Hostel" has potential. Three pleasure-seeking males go on a foreign escapade of drugs and sex, hoping to sleep with as many women as possible. What starts off as an imitation of Eurotrip or a Van Wilder movie soon turns into a masochistic vacation from hell. Rich men have payed big money to torture and murder these American pigs.

When "Hostel" shifts drastically in its tone and filming style, one would expect some kind of substance or genuine type of horror. Unfortunately, Roth's film is a flat-liner. This film is not scary, and nothing comes unexpected. Unlike the best horror film of 2005, "Wolf Creek," Eli Roth presents "Hostel" for pure shock value. His characters are ridiculously 2-D, and seeing them get tortured does not feel all that bad. The viewer should have some sort of empathy for these helpless victims, but they are seen as puppets in a circus act.

Takashi Miike, the modern king of Japanese horror, has a cameo in "Hostel." Referring to the warehouse where the torture is happening, he says, "Be careful. You could lose all your money in there." What a true statement—for Eli Roth, for his worthless characters in the film, and for moviegoers squandering money to see a disgraceful waste of bad horror.

As the closing feature of the 2005 St. Louis International Film Festival, "Mrs. Henderson Presents" was shown to a nearly full theatre. Coming from the United Kingdom, the film is not a drama nor is it a comedy. "Mrs. Henderson Presents" is best described as a "dramedy" mixed with a musical. Judi Dench dives into her usual role with ease, playing Laura Henderson. As an upper-class widow left with heaps of money, she decides to purchase a theatre, which she names The Windmill. Through the love-hate relationship between Mrs. Henderson and her theatre manager (the terrific Bob Hoskins), they present the most revolutionary program in England: nude women on stage. "Mrs. Henderson Presents," constantly switches from drama to comedy, but is so skillfully directed by Stephen Frears that it maintains a fluid and graceful tone. This is a film that is told through the eyes of its main character, Laura Henderson, so an unrealistic sense of optimism exists. The message lies in the naïve buoyancy Mrs. Henderson grabs from the continuous tragedy and sadness.

Stephen Frear's new film is truly heartbreaking and tragic, but ironically, is incredibly fun. In "Mrs. Henderson Presents," The Windmill Theatre stands tall like a knight in shining armor to the soldiers and crowds of England. It is also a pleasurable escape that certainly deserves more than one visit.

Director Wim Wenders claims that "Cinema often achieves its greatest power by refusing to show what it is trying to evoke." In "Paradise Now," director Hany Abu-Assad accomplishes this power with a superb subtlety. He creates intense moments of suspense, building up to a memorable climax in which many answers are left up in the air.

Set in Palestine, Kais Nashef and Ali Suliman play two best friends who are chosen to cross into Israel, as suicide bombers. In preparation for the mission, Assad films a scene extremely reminiscent of The Last Supper, but does not stress any religious beliefs. "Paradise Now" does not take one side or another when it comes to the controversial issue of suicide bombers. The film does not have an original score nor any music whatsoever. With no music contributing to the complex emotions of the characters, as well as those of the audience, "Paradise Now" feels like a haunting and unexpectedly straightforward documentary, even though it is entirely fictional. With simple cinematography and a fairly neutral position on a strong subject matter, many of the film's ambiguous stances are left over for reflection. Nashef and Suliman absorb their characters into a powerful story, and into one of the best foreign films of the year.

"Good Night, And Good Luck" is one of the best films of the year. Beautifully directed by George Clooney (who also co-stars), this is a film that exercises a powerful message and social commentary that remains relevant today. Filmed in tight frames of black and white, "Good Night, And Good Luck" also brings back the smoke-filled atmosphere of broadcast journalism and television in the 1950s. The film focuses around CBS journalist Edward Murrow and his attempts to take down Senator Joseph McCarthy through his news program, "See it Now." David Strathairn, playing Edward Murrow, gives one of the best performances of the year and is surely swimming in Oscar territory. Clooney makes his biggest leap in the film industry yet. He, too, may join Strathairn for an Oscar nomination, but in the Best Director category. Filming in black and white, and interspersing news conferences with actual footage of McCarthy, Clooney is an emerging talent worth watching. The ending and the very last frame lets "Good Night, And Good Luck" stay with those who watch it. It ends very abruptly, as if Clooney wants to show the failing, yet lasting effort Murrow had--how he stands as a symbol for the continuation of truth and who is willing to bring it out to the public. The end has a very honest bleak tone to it--we want to see Murrow continue to let the public know what's actually going on in the country, but one man's fight isn't good enough. Clooney chooses a perfect and powerful ending. He makes a bold statement on how public interest in television has contributed to the decay of society, whether it is 1950 or 2005.

"The Constant Gardener" is not even one of the top 15 films of the year. Critics have raved about it, some even calling it one of the best of the year. Its flat and uninteresting story line, though, is what makes this film nothing special.

In Northern Kenya, activist Tessa Quayle is brutally murdered. Her husband, Justin Quayle (Ralph Fiennes), digs deeper than anyone could have imagined into finding out why Tessa was murdered. Haunted by her death and with rumors of her infidelities, Justin soon finds himself in the middle of a conspiracy and in a life threatening game of cat and mouse.

One of the most intriguing things about "The Constant Gardener" is the relationship between Tessa and Justin, or rather Justin's love for Tessa. After her death, the more Justin finds out and the more secrets he unlocks about Tessa, the more he begins to truly love her. We especially get a sense of this in the last third of the film—the best part of the whole movie. Everything before that feels like a Law and Order episode mixed with cliché.

If there is one major highlight of "The Constant Gardener," it is the superb directing by Fernando Meirelles. Meirelles, who made the incredible "City of God," generates emotion and depth with his cinematography. Using a hand-held camera and an over-exposed lens, his films are gorgeous to look at. From heavenly light pouring out of windows to the quick cuts in an African market place, Meirelles signs his films with his distinct camera-work.

It is unfortunate to have to watch "The Constant Gardener" and appreciate the technical aspects of it far more than anything else. Of course, Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz make a great pair, proving to be two very talented actors. Their performances, though, are nothing Oscar-worthy. If Fiennes was not nominated for his tour de force performance in Spider, then there is no reason why he should even be considered for his role in "Gardener."

Overall, "The Constant Gardener" is just an average film. Like "Hotel Rwanda," it takes a personal story and adds universal meaning to it, but in such a flat and formulaic way. "The Constant Gardener" is one of the most overrated films of the year, but it is still worth watching, to see how originality can be felt through the camera-work of a talented director.

Proof is one of the most overrated films of the year, along with The Constant Gardener. Although I never saw the play, I can conclude from the film that Proof was meant to stay a play. Many stage to screen adaptations have been successful, such as Neil Labute's In the Company of Men, The Shape of Things, and Your Friends and Neighbors. Proof, though, when turned into a film, is a very poor adaptation. All the characters feel so one sided with no depth to their emotions. One of the biggest problems is the artificial dialogue. It feels as if a play is being viewed instead of a film. Paltrow can be an excellent actress, especially in Sylvia, but in Proof...it seems as if she's trying to search for a sign of character depth and development, but the mediocre script and directing forces her to remain very 2-D.

Here is the worst part of Proof: Jake Gyllenhaal!!!! His character is one of the cheesiest, unrealistic characters in any non-mainstream film I've seen recently. He looks like he'll be fantastic in Jarhead and especially Brokeback Mountain, but because of the sickening artificiality of Proof, like Paltrow, he's forced to remain a fake, laughable character.

The Constant Gardener was overrated, but should be seen because of Fernando Meirelles's talented directing skills. Proof should be seen for not a single reason. The acting ranges from mediocre to terrible, the story is uninteresting, there are clichés....but I blame the director, and I put fault on the decision to make a play into a movie, when it should've stayed a play for good.

Last House on the Left is one of my favorite horror movies of all time. If you watch Craven's Last House, and most of his 70's and 80's stuff, it's incredibly disappointing to know that he made Red-Eye.

When Red-Eye started, it looked incredibly Hollywood, even from the opening credit sequence. Once the movie gets going, though, it's pretty good. The chemistry between McAdams and Murphy is executed very well and it's very believable. McAdams can be an excellent actress, and I think she still is awaiting the role that will give her the fame she deserves. She does a much more impressive acting job in Wedding Crashers than in Red Eye.

The second half of the film turns into complete Hollywood crap. It is formulaic and cheesy. Anything you can expect from a typical Hollywood thriller...well, it pretty much happens. If Wes Craven would stick to the raw grittiness he had in Last House, Serpent and the Rainbow, People Under the Stairs, etc...he wouldn't be coming out with Hollywood crap like Red-Eye. So far, Rob Zombie is the only American horror film savior that can bring back the great horror films of the 70s. Craven has lost his touch with true horror.

Sin City ****/out of 4

Comics have always been turned into films, but films have never been transformed into comics. The super hero genre of movies have included Spiderman, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Batman, X-Men, The Punisher, Constantine, Blade, Daredevil, The Hulk, and many others. In addition to super hero movies, many films such as American Splendor, Road to Perdition, From Hell, and Ghost World were all adapted from comics. Although some adaptations, such as American Splendor, have remained true to their comic, no film has ever accomplished what Sin City has.

Being someone who has read Frank Miller's Sin City comics, seeing Sin City on the big screen was like seeing a whole new type of cinema that only partially existed in the 1950s. If people say that Sin City, the movie, is just like the comics...they are wrong. Simply put, the move is the comics. Never before has a graphic novel been used completely as the actual storyboard for a film. The movie and comic are identical, line for line and shot shot. One thing that makes the film so unique is its color. It retains the black and white feel of the comic, creating a gritty and crime filled atmosphere. Also, Sin City stands as a perfect example for modern film-noir. Many directors still give their films a noir-ish feel, such as David Lynch's Mulholland Drive, Twin Peaks, and Blue Velvet, but Sin City stands as a cinematic symbol for film noir.

The film adaptation consists mostly of books one, three, and four. Each book is a story of a man searching for redemption, through violence and true love. Book one, The Hard Goodbye, focuses around Marv (played by Mickey Rourke). He has a one-night stand with a hooker, Goldie (Jamie King), only to find her dead the next morning. What makes The Hard Goodbye the most memorable story of Sin City is Marv's twisted, yet humorous rampage he embarks on to avenge a woman he barely knew. He has no meaning to his life, and all he has to live for is murder. The characters in The Hard Goodbye are made to look exactly like the characters in the comic. Elijah Wood turns in a creepy performance as Kevin, a local cannibal. In the third book, The Big Fat Kill, the story is centered around Dwight and his journey to and from Old Town, dealing with hookers, his lover, and the head of a cop. Clive Owen does a darkly serious job as playing Dwight (similar to his fierce role in Closer). Rosario Dawson, too, resembles all the traits of Gail, as drawn in the comic. Probably the best performance in this segment, though, is from the underrated Benicio Del Toro. He proves, once again, to completely absorb his character and puts his talented signature on the few scenes he is in. Quentin Tarantino, credited as "special guest director", films the segment when Owen is driving in the car with Del Toro's dead body. For those who have seen Pulp Fiction, this scene is a reminiscent of Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta conversing in the beginning. The third story in the film, and the fourth book, is That Yellow Bastard. Bruce Willis plays Detective John Hartigan who's tracking a local child molester his last day on the job. Jessica Alba plays Nancy Callahan, the girl Hartigan saves, and his lover as well. Willis does the best job out of the whole cast, right next to Nick Stahl.

As Joe Williams of the post dispatch said, "style beats substance", and that is true indeed. Compared to other early films of 2005, like The Upside of Anger, which focus on a powerful theme, Sin City focuses much more on its look. Maybe, though, the look is the theme. Director Robert Rodriguez took on this project with Frank Miller and the final product is something remarkable. During the first ten minutes of the film I was laughing hysterically because I couldn't take it—how identical the movie was to the comics. It was almost as if I was seeing a miracle take place or a book come to life. Sin City is the first ever live-action comic book. It takes normal film-going audiences to a place they've never been before. For more than two hours it feels as if you are living inside the movie instead of watching it. There is the real world, the world of movies, and then there is Sin City. Entering the theater and watching this film is like taking a break from reality and letting your imagination soar. How has this happened? How can a film make one feel as if they're living inside a comic book? Sin City has done just that, it has revealed a true power of cinema and has taken viewers to a surreal dimension of art, and for that…Sin City deserves to be a landmark.

This is a film that every single high-schooler should see. Wim Wenders has a great line.."Cinema often achieves its greatest power by refusing to show what it is trying to evoke." Larry Clark's "Kids" does not follow this rule and shouldn't. High School kids are such idiots...nothing can affect or alter the horrible decisions they make. I don't think "Kids" would have a long lasting effect on kids, but it would definitely make them get in touch with their sub-conscious. Some have said that "Kids" is all based on graphic dialogue, language, drug use, and graphic sex....in otherwords, SHOCK FACTOR. Shock factor is exactly what needed to be included in this movie, though, because it is what helps reveal the horrifying stage of teen life...to teens and adults. This film is the most powerful and realistic depictiction of teen life ever put onto the silver screen....then "Mean Creek."

MIllion Dollar Baby

***1/2/out of 4

Clint Eastwood is growing older, but nothing can stop him from making original and emotionally powerful films. Many directors like Martin Scorsese and Sydney Pollack have turned to making huge Hollywood blockbusters with crowd-pleasing special effects. Eastwood has not. "Million Dollar Baby" defies all Hollywood boxing movie clichés and is certainly one of the best films of the year. Like Eastwood's American tragedy "Mystic River," "Million Dollar Baby" is very pessimistic and takes dark and tragic turns. But, unlike "Mystic River," it is a very spiritual film and feels much more personal.

Hilary Swank, in her 2nd best performance ("Boys Don't Cry" being her best), plays Maggie Fitzgerald. Maggie is a white-trash girl who spends her time as a waitress when she's not in the boxing gym pushing towards her dream. Frankie Dunn (Eastwood) owns the gym and when Maggie asks him to train her, his response is: "Girly tough ain't enough." Morgan Freeman, in his best role since "The Shawshank Redemtion," plays Eddie Dupris. Eddie lost an eye when he was training with Frankie and Eastwood does a miraculous job of portraying the two aging friends' sense of loss. As Frankie begins to train Maggie, the film starts as a typical Hollywood film, but then takes an unexpected turn, making an exciting boxing film into a heart-wrenching journey of the human soul. Eastwood's use of extensive lighting gives a sense of all the guilt and sin in the seemingly normal atmosphere. Also, the musical score, as in "Mystic River," is very simple and quiet--one of the reasons why it stays with you so much. Like "Closer" and "Collateral," "Million Dollar Baby" is one of the few widely- released films this year that surely proves itself, with the help of a masterful artist, to be an extraordinary work of art.

The Assassination of Richard Nixon Rated R (for language and a scene of graphic violence)

After seeing "The Assassination of Richard Nixon" it is impossible to let it slip out of your mind. Audiences were blown away by Sean Penn's portrayal of Jimmy in "Mystic River" last year, but his acting in "Mystic River" does not even compare to his sheer tour de force performance in "The Assassination of Richard Nixon." Similar to "Taxi Driver" and "Falling Down," "Assassination" is a character study of an ordinary man reaching his breaking point, but "Assassination" is much more compelling. Penn plays Sam Bicke, a furniture salesman who hates everything about society. His marriage is falling apart, his boss (Jack Thomspon) is a greedy liar who only cares about money. Sam hates the way his wife (Naomi Watts) gets taken advantage of as a waitress because of the revealing clothing she is forced to wear. His only friend is Bonny (Don Cheadle), a mechanic. The two plan on starting a tire business together, in which they would treat the customer fairly—something Sam's boss does not do. Jack Thompson gives an Oscar-worthy performance as Sam's boss. He appears to be so compassionate, yet underneath the surface, he is Sam's idea of corporate evil. Naomi Watts' takes on her role as Sam's wife with a different, but equally effective kind of force that she used in "21 Grams." Nobody could play Bonny as well as Don Cheadle. He is a man who just wants to make a living and, unlike his friend Sam, tries to ignore society's flaws. As the film progresses, Sean Penn does a miraculous job of playing a man with such emptiness in his life. In one of the most captivating scenes, Bicke sits down with his brother (Michael Wincott) and we get another idea of how this insanity erupted in such a normal citizen. The film builds and builds on Penn's character, showing his catastrophic mental and physical state. Penn steals every moment he is in, from screaming on the telephone to pitifully sitting on his bed. It is an amazing thing to see the talented Sean Penn walk through his everyday life, turning from a flashy, furniture salesman to a psychotic madman. "Assassination" has not yet been released in St. Louis and, even in New York, it is being shown in barely any locations. Despite its limited release, Niels Mueller has made an outstanding directorial debut. He has surely created the most electrifying, and not to mention, the best film of the year.

Sideways ****/out of 4

Sideways is absolutely terrific. It's funny, sad, touching, and romantic. Paul Giamatti has given the best male performance I've seen all year...so far. The movie is centered around Giamatti and Thomas Hayden Church who are two friends about to embark on a road trip before Church gets married. Church plays Jack, the womanizing partying kind of guy who constantly cheats on his wife. Giamatti plays Miles-the complete opposite of Jack. Miles is depressed, pessimistic, a failed novelist, and a wine enthusiast. He plays his character perfectly with extreme realism and depth. Giamatti should win the Oscar for best actor. The film moves along very humorously and sadly until its sad yet hopeful end. FOUR STARS!!

Tarnation NR(language, disturbing violent and sexual images) ****/out of 4

Tarnation could possibly be the best film of the year. It is unique, original, disturbing, one of a kind, sad, heartbreaking, powerful, inspiring, and completely mesmerizing.

The film is not for the squeamish because of intense the subject matter, as well as the bizarre images. It is truly remarkable that Jonathan Caouette took his whole life in home video format and narrowed it down to 90 minutes. The editing techniques force the viewer to get sucked into the mind and life of a schizophrenic person.

Being taken through the early days of Caouette is very hard to watch. With a mentally ill mother going through shock treatments, he went from many foster homes to living with his grandparents(mentally ill grandma). Caouette became involved with drugs, cross-dressing, homosexuality, suicide, and film-making...and all this time he had a video camera by his side.

For its $218 budget, its editing being done on iMovie, and its tragic humane story, it's truly a shame that "Tarnation" is another indie film that is really destined to be remember forever and ever.

David O. Russell recently came out with "I Heart Huckabees", which was definitely a comedy, but also a very smart, philosophical film about life. "Flirting with Disaster" is a much different kind of movie, but he uses the same kind of humor-focusing on the character personalities.

In "Flirting with Disaster", Ben Stiller is married to Patricia Arquette. They just had a baby and are trying to give it a name. Meanwhile, Stiller is on a search for his real birth mother and is assisted by Tea Leoni in the Adoption Agency. So, the journey begins and along this journey, Stiller comes into contact with his "mother" and "father", but they turn out not to be his parents after all. Now, two cops are part of the Stiller's group.

Then finally, we meet his real parents, Lily Tomliin and Alan Alda. Now comes one of the best family/dinner table scenes ever shown in a movie. Alda's character is so funny that I almost died laughing. The acting is superb and the whole family appears to be so normal, until we find out about their acid and LSD problem.

Some people probably won't appreciate Russell's humor because his humor isn't for everyone. A lot of the humor is very character based and dry (sort of similar to Wes Anderson's idea of "funny").

Well, after seeing this movie, people will hopefully appreciate the thought David O. Russell put into all the dialogue and people will have to appreciate the absurd and hilarious journey Ben Stiller took to find his mother...for better or for worse.

Magnolia ****/out of 4

Magnolia is in my top 5 best films list. Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the best modern directors-he's up there with Wes Anderson, Lars Von Trier, etc.

After watching Magnolia, I thought one word...."PERFECTION." Everything about it is perfect. The acting is amazingly brilliant, the timing of all the events, the cinematography, the soundtrack, the colors, the symbols, the metaphors--EVERYTHING!

Magnolia is one film that is metaphorically honest about life. Either you understand PT Anderson's stuff (especially Punch-Drunk Love and Magnolia) or you don't. Magnolia should've won Best Picture in 1999 (wasn't even nominated!!!) and everything else it didn't win. A great film, a classic, a masterpiece!!!!

Mean Creek ***1/2/out of 4

"Mean Creek" has the most accurate depiction of teen life and adolescence I've ever seen in a movie. Unlike "Thirteen", which is stereotypical and tries to give answers and resolutions, "Mean Creek" sticks out in the teen-life genre as a beauty. The young actors and actresses do a great job, but Carly Schroeder as Millie is the best. She gets to your gut as the innocent kid who's in the wrong place at the wrong time.

One of the most memorable parts for me in the movie is when the Bully, George, is filming with his camcorder and zooms in on an exotic spiral shape, saying "This is my life". That's such a brilliant line because adolescence is such a horrible and awkward stage in life. High schoolers (being one myself) are filled with an assortment of emotions and feelings and "Mean Creek" portrays that with such power.

Like "Deliverance", the film is focused on a canoe trip that goes completely wrong and "Mean Creek " has some themes that "Deliverance" has. Jacob Aaron Estes is a director who is off to a great start-making films that are completely honest in every way.

The Hours ****/out of 4

The Hours is one of those amazing movie masterpieces that

Hollywood rarely releases into mainstream movie theaters.

Director Stephen Daldry has made an absolutely brilliant,

meaningful, and perfect film. He has taken a daring leap to bring

such a bleak and different film to mainstream theaters.

"The Hours," which focuses on three women and the emptiness or

sadness they find in their lives, could easily be considered nothing

short of PERFECT. The characters and emotions move along at

just the right pace until the powerful and upsetting choices

characters make, while others make settling choices. The film

was put down by many critics and people who saw the movie

because of the pro-suicide messages the film brings out. This is

what makes the film so brilliantly bleak and incredibly beautifully

honest on the meaning of life

Four out of four stars for the courage of director Stephen Daldry

and four out four stars for "The Hours"