Foster on Film – Page 55 – The Film Criticism of Matthew M. Foster

Revelation (2001)

Oct 062001

Magnus Martel (Terence Stamp), a wealthy business man and member of a secret society, enlists the aid of his estranged son, Jake (James D’Arcy), to join a team that is attempting to solve the riddle of a box made shortly after The Crucifixion. The Grand Master (Udo Kier) of the secret society, who has lived for at least 2000 years and is the man who killed Christ on the cross, wants the box, and will do anything to get it. After Magnus’s island is raided and he and most of the team are murdered, Jake and Mira (Natasha Wightman), an alchemist, set off to find the box and discover its purpose. To find it, they will have to decipher ancient clues, and travel across the world.

A solid entry in what has become an unremarkable sub-genre, Revelation takes several of the earlier entries, adds a touch of Raider of the Lost Ark (actually Temple of Doom), shakes it up with uneven acting and a slightly too small budget, and creates a watchable film.

Revelation confounds viewer expectations, so it tends to be poorly received. The trick is not to assume it will follow a preset story structure. With the search for the ancient “treasure” that has our heroes traveling around the world with the villains in hot pursuit, people take this as an adventure film. But it’s not, and has little adventure and even less action. Needless to say, those expecting car chases, shootouts and a climactic magic duel between the forces of light and the forces of darkness are going to be disappointed. This is a leisurely paced, tension-filled, puzzle film that is based around clever ideas (some new, many reused).

While the basics of the story are easy to follow, the clues that Jake and Mira use to find the ancient artifact are another matter. Obscure is putting it mildly. Or perhaps improbably is a better term. I was waiting for them to find a chalk circle drawn on the sidewalk and say, “A circle is the symbol for eternity, wrapping around the Earth. It is like a continuous flowing river. The whiteness of the sidewalk indicates purity, as the Virgin Mary was pure. Obviously, we need to go to the Church of Mary by the river in Ecuador.”

The supporting cast, who exist to supply interesting and powerful voices for some of the broader scenes, couldn’t be better. Udo Kier, Terence Stamp, Ron Moody, and Derek Jacobi all know how to announce themselves on screen.

D’Arcy and Wightman need to be more subtle than the supporting players, and subtle they are, but for D’Arcy that means stiff and lacking in charisma. Wightman is better, being high on the charm scale, but can’t make up for D’Arcy when it’s only the two of them trading lines.

Revelation is a derivative, thoughtful, and fun little film, haunted by its potential to be more.

Christian Mythos, Reviews Tagged with: Three Reels

Frailty (2001)

Oct 062001

A man (Matthew McConaughey) goes to the FBI to announce that his brother is the God’s Hand Killer. He then explains that when they were children, his father (Bill Paxton) saw an angel that told him to go kill people who were really demons. He always believed his father was insane, but his brother believed, and he has taken over the job.

A small movie with some big ideas, Frailty presents the audience with an interesting dilemma. The father is a caring man. He’s a stable part of the community. He isn’t a raving lunatic or religious fanatic (the younger son singing “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy” might suggest otherwise). He’s a good man who is doing what he thinks is right, what God tells him to do. So, was he insane? And, is Adam, the God’s Hand Killer, who picked up his father’s mantle, insane? If so, than just how insane are they? Aren’t their actions exactly what good, obedient Christians should do, if they hear God?

But what if neither of them were insane? Frailty gives ample reason to suggest they are hearing from God, and God wants them to kill. God is willing to have children kill, and if a father won’t kill his own son, God will not spare him. As for the demons, nothing says that they are supernatural. A demon appears to be someone who does bad things (which might just mean refusing God).

So the question is, if there is a God, THE God of the Bible, and he tells you to kill people, should you? Why should you do what God says? Is something right, good, just because he says so? Frailty suggests that if God speaks, maybe it would be better if nobody heard.

Christian Mythos, Reviews Tagged with: Three Reels

Jeepers Creepers (2001)

Oct 052001

Siblings Darry and Trish Jenner (Justin Long, Gina Phillips) are run off the road by a weird armored truck on their way home from college. Later, they spot the truck by an abandoned church as well as a man in a long coat throwing body-sized packages down a pipe. Suspecting that the man might be a murderer or kidnapper, they investigate, and Darry finds things are far worse than he believed, and the man is much more than he could have imagined.

An effective monster movie, the poorly titled Jeepers Creepers has some real chills and a constant mood of dread. There’s no point—no message or theme. It’s about a monster after some college students, and that’s all.

For the first half, it’s as scary as anything made in recent years. The tailgating truck is unnerving. It feels like something that could happen, particularly if you drive down out-of-the-way highways. Once Darry gets into the church, this is one of those movies that has viewers yelling, “Get out of there!”

The tension lets up in the second half, once there are more people around and you see the monster. But it’s a pretty nicely designed creature, and his modus operandi keeps him ghastly, even after his appearance becomes familiar. Plus, it gets big points from me for the ending, which you’ll have to watch yourself.

Unfortunately, the writing gets lazy. A psychic exposition-lady pops in for the sole purpose of explaining what’s going on. How does she know all about the monster? Because she’s psychic. Does she see everything else going on the world or do her visions (which are incredibly precise) focus on the monster? If she knew about the monster, why didn’t she tell someone? No one working on this film cared about answering those questions. Either they should have had our heroes discover what the monster was up to, or just left it a mystery.

However, I was more annoyed by the exclamation points that end every sentence. Whatever the situation, Darry and Trish are ready to yell about it. Whenever they have to restart their old car (which is often), we are treated to a minute of “Put it in drive! In Drive! Shift the geers!! Shift!! Shift and put the car in drive!!! Go!!! Drive!!! SHIFT AND DRIVE!!!! GO!!!!” Perhaps stressed-out monster victims would shout constantly, but it’s not enjoyable to listen to and I was hoping one of them would get eaten just so they’d shut up.

Writer/director Victor Salva is impressive in the second part of his job, but needed another draft or two on the screenplay. Jeepers Creepers is much better than expected, but not as good as it should have been.

Followed by Jeepers Creepers II.

Back to Demons

Demons, Reviews Tagged with: Three Reels

Wendigo (2001)

Oct 052001

Married couple George and Kim (Jake Weber, Patricia Clarkson) and their son, Miles (Erik Per Sullivan), vacation in a cabin, but they have upset the local backwoods hunter and perhaps awakened an ancient spirit.

Quick Review: To start the horror, the family’s car hits a deer, breaking its antler so it won’t make as good a trophy for the redneck that’s been stalking the animal. Yes, Wendigo’s non-chilling terror comes from that banal beginning. No matter what comes after, I was stuck thinking this hunter was pushed over the edge by a broken antler. Hmmmm. When a film starts with something that ludicrous, there’s no coming back. But then Wendigo doesn’t try very hard. To establish its “Indie cred,” writer/director/snore-inducer Larry Fessenden has nothing happen for the next hour but “meaningful” conversations about being tense and everyday life events. We get to watch the family play cards, eat breakfast, and drive to town. Oh, the excitement. Apparently, “Indie” means painfully dull to Fessenden. But don’t worry, once the barely noticeable, kind-of-horror-oriented (but not really) events start, Fessenden brings all of his insubstantial talent to bear with grainy, poorly lit scenes and shaking cameras. Ah, nothing says artistic Indie like the inability to hold a camera. He also gives us a man in a deer suit. I trust no one involved ever thought that was scary. After several non-happenings, Miles pronounces, “Mom, I’m scared.” All I could think was, “Miles, I’m bored.”

Horror, Reviews Tagged with: Toxic

Sexual Magic (2001)

Oct 052001

Nina (Jacy Andrews), a beautiful, blonde, college coed rents a room in an old estate with four lovely housemates (Amber Newman, Jezebelle Bond, Teanna Kai, Nikki Fairchild) who turn out to be a coven of witches looking for a fifth member. Soon, Nina’s luck starts turning bad, and her fiancé becomes distant. It’s clear that while most of the girls are good witches, one has a secret, darker side.

Those of you who are more than casual readers of this site may have noticed that I have taken it as a quest to find a good, erotic “horror” film. It has been a frustrating undertaking, but I’m not surprised that there has been little to get “excited” over. The budgets for anything even slightly sexual tend to be too low to pay for decent equipment, much less hire multiple skilled craftsmen. The best actors (of both genders) are rarely willing to show some flesh, and even less likely to do it in a scene that is supposed to be stimulating. And, since the producers assume that their small audience won’t care about anything but seeing some naked breasts, they don’t buy stories of any interest.

Which brings me to Sexual Magic. This softcore romp is a notch above its competition, but still lacking. The story is thin, but surprisingly workable, which is to say it isn’t embarrassing. The production values are also better than I’ve come to expect in this sub-genre. Some of the shots are attractive and the lighting and sound is always good. The sets are limited, with most of the action taking place in one house and its yard, but I doubt if any viewer will complain that the scantily-clad witches didn’t spend more time on the town. The music is variable, but at times manages to set the proper mood.

Of course, there are plenty of scenes with lovely lasses (and even a few of six-pack-abs lads) showing off their true talents. The girls are beautiful and sexy, and there is plenty of flesh on display. They appear to have been cast to fill out a Playboy photo shoot: three white chicks, one blonde, one short haired brunette, one long haired brunette, an oriental girl with glasses, and a black babe. They certainly weren’t chosen for their acting. They all manage hip-swaying and chest-thrusting, but their scant abilities are overtaxed when asked to speak. I suppose that can be ignored in the non-erotic moments, but is problematic when they can’t believably express passion.

Not that the girls are aided by the dialog. Oscar-winners couldn’t recite these lines with any degree of conviction. Most are just poorly put together, but sometimes, it is the topic which can’t be taken seriously. Over and over, the girls are forced to say how intelligent Nina is and how she’s a straight-A student. There’s no way to react to these statements except to snicker. Jacy Andrews may be a brilliant girl, but she can’t play one. What she can manage is cute-blonde-with-big-breasts.

The main weakness in the film is the inability to integrate the sexual moments with the witchcraft plot. Instead, the story stops every ten minutes for a girl to get undressed and give her current lover a lap dance. Is it really so hard to find a magic related reason to show some flesh? The movie is at its best during a pair of mystic rituals, where the girl chant while dressed in see-thru nighties. Toss in a few more rituals with a bit more erotic content, and this might have been a flick worth remembering.

The most commonly available version of Sexual Magic is a roughly edited R-rated cut, with overly brief sex scenes that tend to end abruptly. The unrated DVD isn’t currently in production.

Reviews, Witches Tagged with: Two Reels

Replicant (2001)

Oct 052001

To test a secret government anti-terrorist cloning program, scientists make a “replicant” of The Torch (Jean-Claude Van Damme), a serial killer. Recently retired police detective, Jack Riley (Michael Rooker), who worked on The Torch case, is hired to try out the clone and hunt down the killer.

Some movies would benefit from never pretending to have a rational basis. Forget the fake science and just cry, “It’s magic!” It would have been much easier to accept Replicant’s story if it had started with a wizard popping in, claiming he’s a part of a secret organization of underground wizards, and that he has conjured a doppelganger of a killer that is magically connected to the real one. Yes, that’s an easier concept to believe than the one suggested by the film.

Instead, we have our world, as it is now, except the government can make a perfect clone, speed grow him, and increase “his telepathic skills.” Yup, those wacky government scientists are clever folks. If they are increasing telepathic skills, I guess we must all have some level of psychic ability. Cool. Maybe they should have just made a legion of telepathic soldiers and forgotten about the whole cloning thing.

Anyway, these scientists have vast knowledge when it comes to making a spare person and giving him enhanced comic book powers, but they can’t figure out how to make their clone remember the original’s evil deeds. So, they take the obvious step of hiring an obsessive and abusive cop to beat on the clone and drag him around town. I think maybe they should have hired a psychologist or two.

Now the cop does eventually take the obvious step of using the police database to find anyone who looks like the clone, but only after taking him to crime scenes, and poking him while saying, “So, do you remember that?” He also gropes him in the bathroom claiming he’s looking for homing devices. Sure he is.

Looking beyond the plot for something of value? Well, that leads you to acting, and there you’ve found another gaping pit. Jean-Claude Van Damme plays two characters (wow, twice as much Van Dammage…wait a second, wasn’t that the tag line for an earlier Van Damme film? Hmmmm). As The Torch, he has an unchanging smirk and greasy hair. That’s about it. As the Replicant, he attempts something between a frightened monkey (he jumps on tables a lot in a squatting posture; no reason, he just does) and an innocent child. What he achieves is a guy on Prozac walking around with his mouth hanging open. But Van Damme is a master thespian compared to Michael Rooker who portrays Jake Riley as a man who’s recently eaten some bad fish. He’s trying to play the tough, do-it-his-own-way, antihero (because we haven’t seen that fifty times before), but manages only bitchy and uncomfortable. I suppose I’d be pretty uncomfortable after reading that script and realizing people might see me in the role, but that’s no excuse when there is Pepcid Complete in the world. All other characters are so underdeveloped that it doesn’t matter if the actors knew what they were doing or not.
Character development is treated in a new and exciting way that forgoes gradual alterations based on events in favor of random personality shifts. The Replicant is a feral moron for most of the film, but then is suddenly intelligent and calm. Riley is vicious to the clone, and then buys him ice cream.

The fight scenes are reasonable for a low-budget flick, looking more realistic than the average Van Damme melee. Plus the production values are surprisingly high for a direct to video release. So, if you love films with decent, if unmemorable, brawls, plus sets, lighting, and camera-work that aren’t embarrassing, this movie is for you.

Cyberpunk, Reviews Tagged with: One Reel

Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)

Oct 042001

The trials and tribulations of a pleasant, silly “every-woman” (Renée Zellweger) as she attempts to lose weight, smoke less, and find a man who isn’t her boss (Hugh Grant). It couldn’t possibly be that rude Darcy (Colin Firth), could it?

Quick Review: Not a romantic comedy, but a comedy about romance, Bridget Jones’s Diary is an enchanting, family-type film, as long as your family says “fuck” every few minutes and makes thinly-veiled anal sex jokes. Renée Zellweger is at her best as Bridget Jones, replacing all sounds of Texas with a believable London accent. The word “adorable” was invented for Bridget and for the film, as it really is Bridget’s story.

Other characters come and go and are generally funny, but only Hugh Grant’s slimy-but-loveable Daniel Cleaver distracted me from the title character. Bridget does one embarrassingly stupid thing after another, but charm and enthusiasm dissipate the potentially maudlin atmosphere and leave humor. This is not how Frank Capra would have made a film, but how he should have.

My examination of Bridget Jones’s Diary as a version of Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice is here.

Christmas, Christmastime, Reviews Tagged with: Four Reels

Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge (2001)

Oct 032001

The three young witches, dim Marnie (Kimberly J. Brown), obnoxious and foolish Dylan (Joseph Zimmerman), and the only character in the film that shouldn’t be squashed by Godzilla’s twin, Sophie (Emily Roeske), live with their delusional mother (Judith Hoag) and vacuous Grandmother (Debbie Reynolds). When a “hip” boy (Daniel Kountz) says hello, Marnie calmly gives away family secrets and generally acts in ways only possible in a badly scripted made-for-TV movie. Working out that something isn’t right (I guess the seventy-five clues were just enough), Marnie and Grandma head to the mystical Halloweentown, where they find that all the magical creatures have been turned into dull humans. Can Marnie and Grandma save Halloweentown before the midnight deadline? Can the writers get away with ripping off a considerably better Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode? Should you care? Well, I can answer the last question.

The Cromwell witches are back, to insult the intelligence of children and adults everywhere. I guess I’m not supposed to hate these people. That’s unfortunate, because that’s the one emotion their return successfully conjures. Everyone who thinks that being unimaginative is wonderful, and being either a magical creature in a wondrous land, or simply being someone who has fun, is a terrible fate, will be able to empathize with the nearly insane mother and son. Of course, anyone like that won’t be watching a fantasy movie. To empathize with Marnie, you just have to be an idiot.

Like it’s predecessor, Halloweentown, this is a family film (read: For Kid’s Only). Apparently the good folks at Disney (who should know better) took that to mean that low quality was OK because children can’t tell the difference. Acting, directing, sets, and particularly the script are substandard. Kimberly J. Brown is a slightly better actress than in the first, but minor improvement in one area isn’t going to make watching this tolerable. Since the story places Halloweentown under a spell, your kids won’t even get the thrill of seeing a magical city filled with strange creatures. “Thrill” isn’t a word anyone will be using to discuss Halloweentown II.

Fans of The Highlander television series have an opportunity to see Peter Wingfield (Methos) in a bit part playing a frog who’s enchanted to appear as a human. I can’t imagine that the experience will make watching him play an immortal more fulfilling.

Halloween, Reviews, Witches Tagged with: One Reel

The Luck of the Irish (2001)

Oct 022001

Kyle (Ryan Merriman), who is unbeknownst to him, a half leprechaun on his mother’s side, has his lucky charm stolen by an evil far darrig (Timothy Omundson) who plans to use the luck to become king of all leprechauns. Without the charm, Kyle and his family begin reverting to their faerie appearance (pointed ears, beards, a foot in height). With the help of his troublesome grandfather (Henry Gibson), his mother (Marita Geraghty), and his human father (Paul Kiernan), Kyle must retrieve the family luck.

Desperation is a sad thing. But, St. Patrick’s day makes me desperate for a film that can be part of an annual tradition. After Christmas and Halloween, it is my favorite holiday. It has character, and plenty of music and folktales to work with, not to mention beer. But unlike Christmas, which has classics like Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Carol, Christmas in Connecticut, and A Christmas Story, St. Patrick’s Day has little that even qualifies as mildly amusing. So, I end up watching anything that’s got a hint of the Emerald Isle, hoping.

Well, only desperation will cause you to keep watching Disney’s The Luck of the Irish, a charmless enterprise that insults the intelligence of the twelve-year-olds it is intended for. Over and over, the story stops so that someone can tell the viewers how wonderful America is, how we’re all different but special, how hard it was for immigrants, and how all you really need to do is try and everything will work out. None of these things is demonstrated (except the trying part—apparently all you have to do is try to win a basketball game), they are just stated. Hey, kids are brighter than that. They know when someone is lecturing them. With nine or ten fewer of those lectures, and the elimination of the painful group-sing of This Land is Our Land, (which includes only the patriotic verses, of course), The Luck of the Irish would have been lukewarm family entertainment.

Ryan Merriman does his best with what he’s given and makes his hackneyed dialog almost sound real, although it is hard to imagine why anyone thought he could portray a junior high student. He’s several years too old and looks it. But as this junior high looks like a high school and everyone is concerned about getting into college, I suppose you can just ignore the word “junior” whenever it is used.

Marita Geraghty makes a cute leprechaun, but the rest of the cast needed to tone down their fake accents. I’m no expert on what the Irish sound like, but it’s safe to say nothing like what’s heard in this film. But overacting is not limited to the accents; most of the characters sound like they are in a sitcom, which is most annoying in the numerous pseudo-sincere moments.

You’d also better be a huge fan of (junior) high school basketball if you’re going to watch the film to its end. There is lots of it. Everyone cares about basketball, talks about basketball, and the climax is a basketball game. Yes, in a film about magic and leprechauns, it all comes down to basketball.

I’m still looking for a few St. Patrick’s Day films, but I’m happy to say that in regard to The Luck of the Irish, I’m not that desperate. I can always go watch some step dancing and drink.

Holiday Films, Reviews Tagged with: One Reel

Avalon (2001)

Oct 022001

In a dreary future world, the illegal, virtual reality, shoot-them-up game, Avalon, flourishes, with the best players able to make a living from it. However, there are dangers, and some players do not come out of the game, leaving them in permanent vegetative states. Ash (Malgorzata Foremniak), is a solo player, who has little contact with others since her gaming team broke up. One of her ex-teammates finds Ash, telling her about a fabled level that may be the only way to win. But it is a dangerous level, and no one who has found it has ever returned. What’s more, the one person Ash cares about went after the mysterious level, and is now brain dead.

A Japanese production, shot in Poland with Polish actors and crew, Avalon effectively merges the two cultures to create an original style. Parts of it are beautiful, while others are effective at evoking the drudgery of day-to-day life, which is a kind of beauty, I suppose. A majority of the film is shot on yellow film stock, bringing new meaning to the word dingy. Combined with retro-computers, zombie-like citizens, and the old Polish buildings, the near-sepia tones made me think of 1984, and I couldn’t take my eyes off of it.

The film starts within the game, as Ash wipes out anyone in her way. Why? Well it is how she pays the rent, but other than that, it is only for the vague payoff of experience points and going to higher levels. The virtual reality world looks as drab as normal life, but it adds in excessive violence. Anyway you look at it, life in this future isn’t much fun. The game battles aren’t exactly exciting, but they are interesting to watch.

But most of the film isn’t about fighting. It is about Ash’s isolation, her obsession, and existing in this sad state. The camera lovingly lingers on Ash making a meal (where some real colors appear) and clings to her as she rides the trolley home over and over. I’ve heard Avalon referred to as a melding of European art film and anime (director Mamoru Oshii is best known as the director of Ghost in the Shell), and I wouldn’t disagree.

The plot exists only for the theme, which focuses on existence and what is important in reality. As is usually the case for plots that are slaves to the message, not much happens, what does happen occurs slowly and repeatedly, and important points are left up in the air. Apparently, this allows us to have more to think about. But the theme isn’t that groundbreaking, nor does it require so much prodding. This is philosophy that’s been touched on by The Matrix, eXistenZ, and particularly The Thirteenth Floor. Sure, the concepts are interesting enough to be the basis of another film, but they aren’t novel enough to let the plot slush away.

You won’t be distracted from your existential meditations by the fate of Ash. She’s alone and rabid in her need to get ahead in the game, but has no other personality traits. We’re never told why she is as she is. She ends up just another object on the screen, able to incite thoughts, but never feelings.

Uneven in most areas, Avalon sinks or swims on its atmosphere, and there it excels, with a compelling score adding the last touch. It doesn’t fit in the “all style, no substance” category, but it is for the style that you should take a look.

Cyberpunk, Foreign Language, Reviews Tagged with: Three Reels

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)

Sep 292001

The Adventures of Harry Potter during his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), who has been raised by his unpleasant guardians without being told there is a secret world of magic and that he is a wizard, is taken to Hogwarts by the giant Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane). There he studies under the wise Dumbledore (Richard Harris), the loyal McGonagall (Maggie Smith), and the sinister Snape (Alan Rickman). Along with his friends, Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), Harry must uncover the secret of the Sorcerer’s Stone.

Filled with childhood wonder, mystery, and…well…magic, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is an extremely faithful adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s best-selling book. There are exciting fights, dramatic confrontations, and characters worthy of our emotional investment. There are also moments that go on far too long, extraneous scenes just to show off digital effects, and plot contrivances.

Yes, I’ve read the book, and a fine work it is. But that is a book, and this is a movie, and each must stand on its own. Does the film stand? Pretty much. But I kept feeling that it should have been better.

The cast is solid, and in some cases, couldn’t be better. Radcliffe fits the part of Harry such that I can’t imagine anyone else playing it. The other young actors are suitable, if sometimes a bit uncertain. Coltrane is his normal, larger-than-life self, and Smith brings quiet dignity to what could have been a silly film if mishandled. Rickman and Harris play just one note, but it’s the note they were given. Rickman has the talent to do much more with the character of the ambiguous Professor Snape, and I hope that a later film will allow him to use more than one expression. As for Harris, since I’ve heard him talk-hiss his was through the musical Camelot where he played Arthur, I’m just happy he didn’t try to sing.

The film is beautiful, with rich hues and amazing contrast; I can’t find any flaws with the cinematography. And there is so much for that cinematography to capture, with multiple things going on every moment. In some cases, it gets a bit busy, and I can’t help wondering if a simpler production might have been a better way to tell a simple tale. But executive producer-director Chris Columbus (and a tribe of other producers and executive producers) went the high flash, effects-laden route. Sometimes, such as when pumpkins fill the air during the Halloween diner, it looks like Columbus was right. But at others, the effects slow down the film, and some of the digital work isn’t good enough for the focus it is given. A troll looks OK, but is obviously fake when compared to the people around it. When Harry jumps on its head, he clearly becomes a digital cartoon, and instead of looking dangerous and exciting, it just looks silly. A centaur is worse, and even though Columbus is wise enough to keep it in the dark, it isn’t enough. Anyone who had been swept into the film will suddenly be deposited into a bargain basement video game until the digital creation trots off screen.

Even with the occasional technical inadequacy, what really holds Sorcerer’s Stone back from being a great film is the pacing. Part of the problem is that this is two stories. The first, lasting about an hour, could be titled “Harry Potter Learns of the World of Magic.” It’s only after a very long segment with Harry’s guardians, and his introduction to all the other characters and the way the world works, do we finally get to the Sorcerer’s Stone plotline. I’d have liked to see the two stories better integrated as it currently feels like watching the first few episodes of a TV series instead of a single movie.

Also, Columbus and script writer Steve Kloves need to be introduced to the concept of a conclusion. Once you reach the conclusion, you should stop. But here, after the climax, there are four additional endings. I can understand the desire for a couple of denouements, just to get everything straight and milk all the emotional satisfaction you can from the story, but four is going way too far. This is a film where you put your hat on and go to the door, waiting for that final moment, and it just won’t come.
I left Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone feeling satisfied, but not enchanted.

In the rest of the world, the film, like the novel it came from, is named Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

It is followed by Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Back to Fantasy

Christmas, Christmastime, Fantasy, Reviews Tagged with: Three Reels

The Barber (2001)

Sep 292001

At Christmastime, in a northern Alaskan town where everyone is crazy from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), an old serial-killer-turned-barber (Malcolm McDowell) is back to his old tricks.

Never quite hitting its stride as a comedy or as a thriller, The Barber is nonetheless an entertaining and well made confusion. The murders are nothing special and far too much is given away too quickly by an apparently tacked-on narration (but it’s a narration by Malcolm McDowell so I’m torn). It would have been nice to learn the barber was the killer when it was pertinent instead of having him state it at the beginning of the film, but without his satirical comments, the film’s humor would have been blunted.

The meat of the movie isn’t the crimes, but the interaction of the mentally challenged and psychologically distressed townspeople, and they are a pretty intriguing bunch. Besides the psychotic barber, there is the already-dead, taxi-driving, part-time prostitute, her oblivious, older husband, a sheriff who got the job by default, the dizzy police receptionist, an ineffectual and effeminate deputy, a pair of drunken, probably homosexual “hunters,” and an FBI agent who takes himself too seriously and can’t deal with the perpetual night. Every character is believable, and a majority of them are amazingly complex given the 94-minute running time. A direct-to-video release, The Barber is a nice little film which gives Malcolm McDowell one of his best roles in recent years.

Christmas, Christmastime, Reviews Tagged with: Three Reels

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