Thursday, June 28, 2007

1408


*** Stars

In a summer of sequels, 1408 stands out on its own, being one of the few pleasant surprises of the season. John Cusack leads the film into an effective and haunting piece of cinema that ranks with the better Stephen King adaptations including The Shining.

Mike Enslin (Cusack), a famous ghost story writer doesn't believe in his own words. He only believes what he can see and has no proof of any supernatural experiences, until he checks into suite 1408 of the notorious Dolphin Hotel for his latest project, "Ten Nights in Haunted Hotel Rooms." Defying the warnings of the hotel manager (another inspired performance by Samuel L. Jackson), Enslin is the first person in years to stay in the supposedly haunted room and will try to be the only survivor of room 1408.

Now the premise of this story is totally bogus. What hotel would still be in operation after fifty-six deaths in the same room? Wouldn't there be an investigation involving the staff? Still, in its own little world, 1408 doesn't fall for its own tricks by drawing out ridiculous scenarios of a man who overcomes a string of ghosts. Instead, director Mikael Hafstrom lets Cusack take control by showing how these occurrences affect him personally with his work and his past. This is the best horror film of 2007.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Ocean's Thirteen


*** Stars

Ocean
's Thirteen is one of the best movies you will want to see on a plane. It makes time go by so easily that I'm sure going to miss hanging out with people who bring back the elegance of being cool.

It's time for Ocean and his boys to defend one of their own. Ruthless casino owner Willy Bank (Al Pacino) never imagined that the odds were against him when he double-crossed Danny Ocean’s friend and mentor Reuben Tishkoff, putting the distraught Reuben in a hospital bed in critical condition. So the boys take Bank down on the night of what should be his greatest triumph--the grand opening of his new casino, appropriately named The Bank.

The film just has an enormous sense of style. The third time around for these guys still show that the audience can have as much fun as the guys who made the film.


Let's Get Lost


*** Stars

This documentary about jazz trumpeter-singer Chet Baker shows footage from the 1950s, when he was part of West Coast Cool, and from his last years. We see the young Baker, he of the beautiful face, in California and in Italy, where he appeared in at least one movie and at least one jail cell for drug possession. And, we see the aged Baker a lost man with a physical feature of skeleton proportions.

I knew little of Chet Baker heading into the film. I did learn a lot about his life and how he became so lost. At a run time of more than two hours, the movie earns its sentimental value, while sometimes failing to entertain.

Once

**** Stars

Once is
an eighty-eight minute film about two people named guy and girl who hang out and play music. And with that, it is unlike any musical you have ever seen and is one of the best ever put on screen.


A Guitar player and song writer named 'The guy' works part-time helping his father run a small, vacuum cleaner repair business, but dreams of one day having his songs recorded and landing a record deal. Emotionally vulnerable after his split with his girlfriend, he meets 'the Girl', an Eastern European immigrant who has moved to Dublin to start a new life for herself. Currently working as a house cleaner in an upper-class residence, she is struggling financially. As the guy loves the guitar, the girl loves the piano. Their musical passions help them through their rough struggles in life.

This is the best film so far this year. It brings back the simplicity towards movie-making and how a few songs can show the beauty and elegance missing in the world today.

Mr. Brooks


**1/2 Stars

A serial killer movie needs two very important ingredients: a memorable performance by the lead and a solid script discussing his alter-ego. Kevin Costner delivers, but the movie does not.

Man of the Year Mr. Earl Brooks (Costner) he is an insatiable serial killer and has managed to keep his two sides from crossing paths. His wicked alter ego Marshall (William Hurt) wants Mr. Brooks for one last murderous urge. During the act, an amateur photographer witnesses the crime. (the script tries to make the curtains staying open a scary premise) Suddenly Brooks finds himself entangled between unlikely scenarios including being hunted by the completely underwritten detective Tracy Atwood (played by a dull Demi Moore). Brooks spends the rest of the movie trying to pass this wicked test and escape his past once and for all.

I like Costner in this movie. He explores some ranges of acting we haven't seen from him in a long time. But the movie starts from an interesting premise and falls flat into more and more preposterous scenes that lead to an ultimately unclimatic ending.


Knocked Up

***1/2 Stars

Judd Apatow became a hit writer after The Forty Year Old Virgin, one of the funniest films of 2005. Now two years later, with Knocked Up, he has proven to be more than just a one liner king. This has just as much laughs as Virgin, and also brings back why Rated R comedies can offer more than just vulgar gags. This film is as sweet as apple pie.

Allison Scott (Grey's Anatomy star Katherine Heigl) is an up-and-coming entertainment journalist whose 24-year-old life is on the fast track. But it gets seriously derailed when a drunken one-nighter with slacker Ben Stone (the brilliant Seth Rogen) results in an unwanted pregnancy. Faced with the prospect of going it alone or getting to know the baby's father, Allison decides to give the lovable doof a chance.

The film has a lively supporting cast, including Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann, who give relationship advice to Allison and Ben when their own marriage is falling apart. With some hilarious one-liners and perfect source material, Knocked Up brings back what's been missing in comedy: a script, and not money.