I took my own advice last week and saw Master and Commander. It was awesome. I love it when I'm right.
Now for this week's picks. This week we have the white man's assisted attempt at a slam-dunk (please see extended version for explanation), Cat in the Hat. Not recommended for anyone older than 5 years or with an IQ above 60. For those of us who are not Neanderthal preschool students, my recommendations are as follows:
1) 21 Grams
2) Barbarian Invasions
3) Shattered Glass (wider release)
Cat in the Hat
A white man's assisted attempt at a slam-dunk is when good old Beaver Cleaver uses a stepladder to reach the net. There's no way he won't make it, but it doesn't make it any less pathetic.
This is the equivalent of making a Dr. Seuss film. You have a ready made, built in audience of kids who first learned to read using "Green Eggs and Ham" and adults who have an incurable case of nostalgia. You don't have to really strain your creative muscles to gross $20 million out of the gate. Itís too easy. Where's the effort?
For those of you who will waste your $10 on this movie instead of waiting for it to come out on cable, I have a warning - The book is ALWAYS better than the movie.
Gothica
This is just another excuse to see Hale Berry naked.
Shattered Glass
Cheaters never prosper, and journalists who make up stories stand in the unemployment line.
I recommended this movie a few weeks ago. It did well enough in its platform release to deserve a wider screening. A good $10 candidate.
21 Grams
This is one of those everyone's-connected-it's-a-small-world stories that brings together a drug addicted single mother (Naomi Watts), a college professor (Sean Penn), and an ex-con (Benicio Del Toro). Now all it needs is the Skipper and the cast for the new Gilliganís Island will be complete.
A solid cast and a hot young writer/director who is still stretching his legs, this is the strongest candidate for my $10.
Barbarian Invasions
An estranged son comes home to take care of his terminally ill divorced father, and then has the brilliant idea of inviting his father's friends, relatives, and old flames to see him off into the great beyond. Havoc ensues.
This movie has won more festival awards than I care to count. The only drawback, itís in French. It is not for the illiterate or those with afflicted with ADD, but it is a candidate for my $10.
Blindness
A blind widow's house is broken into by a man who was wrongfully convicted of a crime committed by her late husband.
Your guess is as good as mine.
Blue Gate Crossing
A teenage love triangle set in Taipei, between a boy and two girls.
Hmmm... young Asian lesbians. This has average straight man appeal written all over it.
Comments (1)
lol! you oughtta get paid for this!
yes, naked Halle - still trying to make up for that hit-and-run charge, eh?
Does Sean Penn only put out movies in batches? still haven't seen the last one (river something?) that sounded good too.
I'm torn, will probably wait for video for all...
Posted by lucky | November 21, 2003 12:00 PM
Posted on November 21, 2003 12:00