1/17/08 Movie reviews

So its time to take a look at some of the films I've been checking out the last week or so:

1)  High Plains Drifter--classic Clint.  He plays the man with no name--yet again--and this time he wonders into a small, seemingly quiet little town.  But, its a town with secrets all of its own and its run, for the most part, by three bullies who specialize in pushing people around.  Anyone wanna guess who they make the mistake of trying to bully?
Anyone?  Hello?  If you guessed the quivering bartender, then you haven't watched enough Clint Eastwood westerns.  This is a good western, with a slightly sinister undertone, as certain townsfolk 'reapt that which they have sown'.
Hey hey!!!  How about Jeff with the bible quote, huh?  **** Clint kicking some ass
 2) The Heartbreak Kid--a remake of the early 70's romantic comedy with Charles Grodin and Cybill Shepherd this time featuring Ben Stiller and directed by the Farrelly Bros.  Its some good and some bad.  As usual, there are some grossout jokes--mind you, the jokes are hilarious, but you'll be silently chastizing yourself for laughing at something so delightfully inappropriate.  But the real problem here is Stiller himself.
First of all, his character is essentially an unlikeable guy.  Part of the appeal of Stiller in movies like Something About Mary was that his character, at least the first time you saw him, was sort of appealing schlep, who after years of getting denied the woman he wanted, was finally getting his chance.  In this film, he's really just kind of a big a-hole.
And another thing--he's turning into Adam Sandler in that, in his movies.....he's essentially playing the SAME GUY.  Watch two Adam Sandler movies from the last 10 years....and tell me if its not the same guy as the main character.  Well, Stiller has now fallen into that trap also.  This is the same guy who was in the last 2 or 3 Stiller movies.
**---some really funny grossout jokes, but its not Stiller's best movie by a lot.
 3) Casino--how in the hell is it that I have NEVER seen this movie?  For whatever reason, despite the fact that I consider myself a real movie buff, there are some classic films that I have never seen.  Here is a one word review for this Martin Scorcese film from 1995.
Amazing.  I mean amazing as a film which investigates the mob and its grip on the casinos in Las Vegas during the 70's.  I mean amazing in its acting with Robert DeNiro, Joe Pesci and Sharon Stone in rarified air in their performances.  I mean amazing in that this film may contain more curse words than any film in movie history.  Pesci's character is amazing in his fluency in cursing.  Its almost a 2nd language for the character.
But don't let that keep you from watching this incredible film....yet another great study by Scorcese of organized crime in this country.  Some have referred to this film as Goodfellas Part 2---which is a nice compliment and not too far from the truth.   *****
Amazing.
 4) Minority Report--here is Steven Spielberg doing true science fiction.  Based on a novel by legendary futurist Philp K. Dick, this is a film set some 50 years in the future.
Crime in the future has been all but eliminated by the police organization called Pre-Crime.  The key to Pre-Crime is a trio of psychics called Pre-cogs who have the ability to see the future and predict when someone will commit a crime.  Police are alerted, and the person is arrested....BEFORE they commit the crime.  Its all quite successful until Pre-Crime leader Tom Cruise is told that the pre-cogs have predicted that HE will commit a murder within 3 days (maybe someone made a crack about Scientology).
Now he's on the run, trying to prove he's innocent---of a crime that he hasn't commited yet.  Hmmm.....if you're really into sci-fi, you will LOVE it....its that good.  If you're not a big sci-fi person, it still works as an action filled detective story set in the future.  ****

Later,
Jeff