Saw II

Starring: Tobin Bell, Donnie Wahlberg
Directed by: Darren Lynn Bousman

** Stars

After last years Halloween hit Saw, Hollywood created its sequel Saw II, which totally lacks the horror and plot we saw in the first one.

Tobin Bell is back playing Jigsaw, a menace that finds ways for his victims to kill themselves. When police detective Eric Matthews (Wahlberg) finds out that his son is missing and that Jigsaw might have a clue to where he is, things begin to heat up.

The director decided to go with the "bad father at first but finds out his son is missing so then he becomes the hero" scenario. For the love of god just stop.

Eric learns that his son is being held hostage in a room with several other people. The room is filled with a poison and the antidote is in a safe in the middle of the room. They must work together to solve the puzzle.

For about an hour of this movie, it's just screaming and yelling at each other. Where's the story? Where's the plot? The movie sets itself up for a twist so idiotic and so horrid, that it has no business being in the movie. Saw II is a huge disappointment.

*** Stars
NEW MOVIE OUT THIS WEEK

North Country

***1/2

Starring:

Charlize Theron,

Sissy Spacek,

Woody Harrelson

Frances MacDormand,

Sean Bean

Richard Jenkins

Directed by: Niki Caro

And the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role goes to:

Charlize Theron in North Country

North Country tells the story of the first class act lawsuit for sexual harassment. Theron plays Josey Aimes with such power and emotion that it feels as if you were along side her throughout her entire journey. Minus a few flaws involving sub-plots and questionable courtroom proceedings, the film is golden with not one bad performance.

**** Stars
NEW MOVIE OUT THIS WEEK

A History of Violence

A History of Violence

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, Ed Harris
Directed by: David Cronenberg

"One’s real life is often the life that one does not lead."

— Oscar Wilde, Anglo-Irish wit and author (1854-1900)

Based on the graphic novel by John Wagner and Vince Locke, A History of Violence is a stunning and beautiful film, packed with emotion and fear. It is truly a cinematic triumph. Canadian Director David Cronenberg has created a film so rare and so powerful that it tests the body, the mind, and the soul as few films this year.

Set in a small town in Indiana, Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen in the role of his career) is a pleasant and likable man who owns a small diner unnoticeable outside the town. He fathers two children, Jack (Ashton Homes), and Sarah (Heidi Hayes) and is married to a lawyer, Edie (an Oscar caliber performance from Maria Bello). Cronenberg captures the family as present day people and not an innocent family from the 50's. Tom and Edie still sneak off for teenage romance in the middle of the day.

Life seems to become chaotic when two men walk into Tom's diner demanding cash from the drawer. As things escalate, Tom defends himself, the employees, and the customers by killing both men with incredible amounts of skill that no ordinary man would know. But, without question, Tom becomes a local hero. This publicity attracts three strange men to the town. The leader of the three is Carl Fogarty (the brilliantly talented Ed Harris) a brutally scared, Irishmen from Philadelphia who claims that Tom is not who says he is. Tom denies this, causing extreme contingency between him and Carl. Ed Harris just seems to get better and better. The way he unfolds each scene with his creativity and style truly is the work of a master.

Later on in the film, Tom kills again in self-defense with skills no ordinary man would know. His family questions his truth. Who is this man? Though I’ll never tell who he really is, I will tell you that later on in the film Tom travels to Philadelphia to end a confrontation between him and a man from his past. This man, played by William Hurt, is one of the greatest cameo performances in the history of cinema. A History of Violence is an exuberant and deeply emotional tale of love. Edie and Tom's love begins to fade. Can they save their marriage? Can their children accept their father once more? The ending will totally blow you away. A History of Violence is one of the crowning spectacle of 2005.

*** Stars
NEW MOVIE OUT THIS WEEK

***1/2 Stars
NEW MOVIE OUT THIS WEEK

March of the Penguins

Narrated by: Morgan Freeman
A Film by: Luc Jacquet

This is a documentary not only filled with intelligence and uncommon knowledge, but a simple story about love and determination. March of the Penguins is simply a true and cinematic delight to all its viewers. It is simply fascinating.

Set in the coldest place on earth, so cold in fact that the only place safe to care for the penguin's newborns is 70 miles away. Each year penguins will travel together to find a mate. Their paths will differ each year. They don't seem to know what they want in a mate. Basically it's just find one and mate with it. So in a way, the penguins are not so different from humans.

Once they find their mate, the long and agonizing torture of waiting for the egg to hatch begins. Mother's and fathers stand together for 8 months in the blistering cold waiting for the egg to hatch. Once it does hatch the wait isn't over. Literally starving to death, the mothers travel another 70 miles to the sea to catch food for themselves and for their child. The fathers however must stay and hold the child warm until the mother returns. It is a true test to their patience and to their newborn. No Penguin here is an enemy. The weather is the true fear. Working together to keep themselves and their newborns alive is the most important factor.

Just like Million Dollar Baby, Morgan Freeman narrates with his soft and gentle voice. His voice is warm and affecting throughout the film. March of the Penguins takes us away from the world we know and brings us to a place beyond our understanding.

*** Stars
NEW MOVIE OUT THIS WEEK

Red Eye

Starring:
Rachel McAdams, Cillian Murphy

Directed by:
Wes Craven


Fear of flying is common around the world. People wonder if the plane will get struck by lightening of if there's a mechanical failure. But no one ever stops to think about the person sitting next to him or her. Are they really who they say they are? Is there something more to their story? Wes Craven brings a new kind of terror that is deeper than any ordinary thriller. He makes you feel like the victim. Red Eye is Wes Craven's best film to date.

Lisa Reisert (McAdams), a hotel operator in Miami, Florida is on her way home to attend her Grandmother's funeral. She hates to fly. But her fear on this flight won't be the same as any other ordinary flight.

She meets a nice man named Jackson (Murphy), who invites her to have a drink. She says no at first but sees him later at a bar and decides to join him. It is a mutual attraction with no real danger involved...yet. Once on board, Lisa finds out oddly enough that Jackson is her seatmate on the flight. Fate has brought them together, but for a different reason than she thinks.

Jackson suddenly tells her why he is really on board the plane with her. He is an operative of some kind in a plot to assassinate a rich and powerful businessman staying at her hotel, and Lisa is the key to its success. If she refuses to cooperate, an assassin waiting outside her house will kill her father.

The build up is white knuckling. The suspense is heart pounding. The movie is 85 minutes long so you know nothing in this movie will be a waste of your time. You may think differently of air travel after this movie. That means that Wes Craven did his job.

***1/2 Stars
NEW MOVIE OUT THIS WEEK

The 40 Year Old Virgin

Starring: Steve Carell
Directed by: Judd Apatow

The big difference between 2004 and 2005 is summer movies. Last year it was action and suspense (The Day After Tomorrow, Troy, The Bourne Supremacy, Collateral, The Village) and this year, it is comedy (Wedding Crashers, Bad News Bears, Dukes of Hazard, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). Like the Wedding Crashers, The 40 Year Old Virgin is loaded with gut-busting laughs. It's a comedy that is true to its title. You know your going to laugh...hard.

Steve Carell (who is perfectly cast) plays Andy, a 40 year old who lives by himself surrounded by action figures and works at an electronic store called SmartTech. Life for Andy is boring and pointless. And when a small secret of his (him being a virgin) is spread out into the open, Andy’s life is going to be changed for good.

A bunch of his co-workers decide to help him out. We don't know if it's for laughs or because they really do care. All they care about is for Andy to get laid before it is too late. Sure, Andy has his opportunities. He is in several situations where drunken girls surround him. But he soon begins to fall for Trish (Katherine Keener), who works at We Sell it for you on Ebay. The store is exactly what you think. Andy and Trish begin to bond and he questions whether or not he should tell her he is a virgin.

The movie is surprisingly sweet as well. Behind all its crude humor it still finds time to make a sweet and lovable story. But with that of course, there is at least 3 laugh out loud jokes per minute in this movie that is up with there with Wedding Crashers as one of the funniest movies of year.

**1/2 Stars
NEW MOVIE OUT THIS WEEK

** Stars
NEW MOVIE OUT THIS WEEK

*** Stars
NEW MOVIE OUT THIS WEEK

The Island

Starring: Ewen McGregor, Scarlet Johansson

Directed by: Michael Bay

"We will finally be able to conquer death"

-Tony Goldwyn (The 6th Day)

Imagine a world where it was possible that you could get a new brain if yours died? Imagine a world where death was not an option. Imagine a life without fear of death. The answer to that question is cloning. Lincoln Six-Echo (McGregor) is a resident of a facility in an undisclosed location. The environment is closely watched and controlled and Lincoln hopes to be chosen to go to the "The Island," reportedly the last uncontaminated spot on the planet. But he begins to ask questions about his existence. He wonders if his life is really what it seems. Then he finds out that his life is a lie. He and all of the other inhabitants of the facility are actually human clones whose only purpose is to provide "spare parts" for their original human counterparts. Lincoln decides to escape before he is killed with a fellow resident named Jordan Two-Delta (Johansson). Pursued by the forces of the institute that once housed them, Lincoln and Jordan engage in a race for their lives to find out who they are and what their purpose is.

Steve Buscemi gives a great supporting performance as a "Janitor" of some sort. He eventually helps the two escape. Sean Bean has his typical role in the film. He is the doctor of the Island when actually he is the founder and owner of this organization therefore being the antagonist.

Michael Bay is the least respected filmmaker in Hollywood. His other films (Pearl Harbor, Armageddon, Bay Boys II) have been hacked by numerous critics and audiences around the country. In The Island, Bay starts off with the bang. The first hour of the film is a deeply, disturbing science fiction film. Then it's all about the action. Yes, action is great but it leaves unanswered questions at the end of the film. It is a good, solid film and it falls shy of greatness because of an ending that fails to realize what the film is all about.

Willy Wonka and the Lucky Winners
NEW MOVIE OUT THIS WEEK

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Starring:
Johnny Depp, Freddy Highmore

Directed by:
Tim Burton

***1/2 Stars

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a brilliant achievement in imaginative filmmaking. Johnny Depp as the great Willy Wonka is one of the best performances I've seen all year. He brings his usual but brilliant presence on screen (that weird and funny creature) like Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean.

You know the story. It is about one boy named Charlie Bucket (another great performance by Highmore), who wins one of five golden tickets. These tickets allow him and four other children to enter the great chocolate factory owned by Willy Wonka. The factory has been closed for years and now these children will enter the wonderful world of Willy Wonka.

This is Tim Burton's best film, with more imagination than any of his other films. When we meet the famous Oompa-Loompa's, all are played by one man (Deep Roy). This alone is flat out hilarious. The movie has heart, laughs, a story, and a wonderful cast lead by the great Johnny Depp. It's hard not to love a film like this.

Wilson and Vaughn in the Hilarious Wedding Crashers
NEW MOVIE OUT THIS WEEK

Wedding Crashers

Starring:
Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn, Christopher Walken, Rachel McAdams


Directed by:
David Dobkin

***1/2 Stars

When you want to see a funny movie, you can count on these six actors: Vince Vaughn, Will Farell, Owen and Luke Wilson, Ben Stiller, and Jack Black. When either one of these actors team up (minus Envy), they give you a taste and a gift of comedy heaven. That is what Wedding Crashers is, comedy heaven. And it's the funniest movie so far this year.

John Beckwith (Wilson) and Jeremy Grey (Vaughn) are ordinary guys with ordinary jobs. But there's one thing that makes them different, then anyone...they are trained and sophisticated wedding crashers. When wedding season comes along, they go to every wedding they can find, eating all the free food, and scoring all the free chicks. Life really couldn't get any better for John and Jeremy.

When that big wedding of the year shows up, the one that's bigger than all the rest, John and Jeremy must practice all their steps. The wedding happens to be held at the estate of the U.S. secretary of the treasury (I love how it's the legendary Christopher Walken). When they arrive, everything is going great but things get complicated when John does the unthinkable and falls for a bridesmaid named Claire, the Secretary's daughter (the absolutely gorgeous Rachel McAdams). But there is a catch, she's engaged. Still though, John is determined to have her. Things escalate when they are invited back to their cottage for a post wedding party. The dinner scenes are flat out hilarious.

Wilson plays his part great here. He is really funny in a lot of scenes. But his character isn't as funny as Vince Vaughn's. Vaughn is flat out hilarious in every scene. In one scene, Vaughn confesses to a priest that he is aroused by a girl that he slept with at the wedding (the hilarious Isla Fisher). The priest doesn't say one word for the whole scene. All the laughs are coming from Vaughn.

And just when we thought the movie had slowed down, who shows up but the great Will Ferrell. He plays the pioneer of crashing weddings and gives John some advice on crashes. Ferrell was the perfect match.

The movie is just flat out entertaining. It's funny but the movie also has heart. Yea it gets a little romantic near the end. But a little romance never really hurt anyone. The movie is a rare, great date movie.