Be warned: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is very faithful to the book. That is to say, it chronicles on the big screen in vivid color the adventures of two individuals pumped full of drugs as they journey through Las Vegas and abuse tourists, residents, waitresses, each other, and themselves. They get high, they get higher, they get even higher, they get sick, they yell and break things, they vomit, and then they do it all again. In other words, this may not be the movie for you. But … [Read more...]
Oldboy (2005)
May 11, 2007 By 2 Comments
Park Chanwook, the Korean director currently winning fans with his hyperviolent stories of revenge, has clearly absorbed the techniques of great kung-fu filmmakers, Alfred Hitchcock, Quentin Tarantino, and other contemporary stylists like David Fincher. He knows how to dazzle you with visions of supreme “coolness.” He knows how to shock you. He knows how to make you squirm, and how to send the squeamish — and even many of the ironclad — running for the exits. So, does the hype … [Read more...]
Tsotsi (2005)
January 18, 2007 By 2 Comments
Question: What happens when a newborn baby ends up in the care of a lawless, gun-toting gangster? Answer: That really depends on the gangster. If Gavin Hood's directorial debut, Tsotsi, is going to make a lasting impression on moviegoers, it will have to succeed on word-of-mouth reviews. It just doesn't have the stuff that makes a flashy marketing campaign. Let's skip the fact that most American moviegoers will have trouble pronouncing the title... Tsotsi is a tough, violent film about … [Read more...]
You Can Count On Me (2000)
January 10, 2007 By 4 Comments
2007 Update: It's been a few years since I've seen this 2000 film, and yet I remember moments from it so vividly. Terry and the boy taking a nature walk. The reverend informing Sammy that fornication is a sin. Sammy's office confrontation with the boss. And yet, I wonder... what has become of Ken Lonergan, who wrote such a delicate, heartfelt screenplay? He was a co-writer on Gangs of New York, and then what? Turning to the IMDB, I learn that he's written and directed a drama called Margaret, … [Read more...]
2046 (2004)
January 8, 2007 By 2 Comments
2oo7 Update: My review of 2046 is much too long... I know, I know. But reading through it again I was caught up in Wong Kar-Wai's work as if for the first time. So I remember why I was so effusive and enthusiastic about it. I may just re-watch a few scenes of it tonight. If you haven't discovered In the Mood for Love, or this, its glorious sequel, you're in for an intoxicating treat. … [Read more...]
Manderlay (2005)
November 30, 2006 By Leave a Comment
Danish director Lars von Trier gave us a remarkable, audacious film in 2004 called Dogville. The film starred Nicole Kidman, Paul Bettany, Anne Bancroft, and a supporting cast of familiar faces, but it also demanded our own participation. The story played out on a stage decorated with a few props and chalk outlines that told us where the houses, streets, and other important landmarks were. The film told the story of a gangster's daughter, Grace, who happens upon a small town and, during … [Read more...]
“United 93″: First Impressions
November 30, 2006 By 19 Comments
Well, I took a deep breath and watched United 93 during the Seattle snowstorm. And it was just as harrowing as I feared, just as harrowing as it should be. … [Read more...]
Babel (2006)
October 27, 2006 By
This review was originally published at Christianity Today in October 2006. - It's bullet time at the movies. Martin Scorsese's cops and crooks are clashing are unleashing storms of bullets, and Clint Eastwood's Marines are firing more shots than anyone could hope to count. But in Alejandro González Iñárritu's new film Babel, a single gunshot causes an international crisis. It's a shot heard around the world, and one you won't forget anytime soon. Who is to blame for that … [Read more...]
Little Children (2006)
October 9, 2006 By
This review was originally published at Christianity Today in October 2006. - Ever watch moths fluttering around bright lights at night and ask yourself, "Don't they know that they'll burn themselves up?" And yet, so many of us play out the same sad drama. Restless with longing, we respond to dangerous temptations and indulge misguided passions. And then we — and sometimes our families — pay for it. This metaphor comes to vivid life in Todd Field's riveting new film Little … [Read more...]
Sophie Scholl: The Final Days (2005)
February 17, 2006 By Leave a Comment
This review was originally published at Christianity Today. - A number of big names—Dame Judi Dench, Keira Knightley, Charlize Theron, and Reese Witherspoon—were Academy Award nominees for Best Actress in 2005. And Witherspoon, the winner for her role in Walk the Line, certainly deserved high honors. But could it be that voters overlooked a performance that's even more riveting, memorable, and inspiring than any of these? … [Read more...]
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