Death At A Funeral

At first, "Death" appears to be a sedate British funniness. Children and friends have gathered at a gorgeous manor house for the wake. In charge of the affair is Daniel (Matthew Macfadyen), son of the deceased. He wants to be an author like his renowned brother Robert (Rupert Graves), just still lives with his right away widowed mother in the kinsperson home with his wife, Jane (Keeley Hawes). She wants them to move to the city and buy a flat of their own. Sandra (Jane Asher), Daniel's mother, is hysterical with grief but delighted to see Robert, who has just flown in from New York City. The mourners cumulate at the house. Cousin Martha (Daisy Donovan) brings her swain, Simon (Alan Tudyk), who is disliked for no good reason by her father, Victor (Saint Peter the Apostle Egan). Martha and Simon have stopped by to pick up her brother Troy (Kris Marshall), who has just cooked up a fancy mix of LSD, Ketamine and DMT. Martha gives Simon one of the pills believing it is a valium. Daniel's friends Catherine Howard (Andy Nyman) and Justin (Ewen Bremner) pick up cranky Uncle Alfie (Peter Vaughan). Martha one time had a drunken fling with Justin and he thinks he is in love with her. Things go along as well as can be expected until a tiny man no i knows, Peter (Peter Dinklage), turns up. As Simon the Canaanite starts hallucinating and causes a major disruption that temporarily halts the proceedings, Troy loses the bottle of pills. Peter tells Daniel that he has some information and needs to see him in individual. What he tells Daniel sets off a chain of events that are quite drastic and funny. This funniness could only be set in Britain where decorum is the norm. Director Frank Oz girdle out of the way allowing the British cast (except Alan Tudyk and Dinklage) to lento develop their characters. In fact, this is the only Oz comedy I ever liked. The pace picks up once Dinklage arrives. I have a new appreciation of Dinklage. He walks off with the movie. I'm not going to reveal the twist that sends this comedy into slapstick or what happens when Uncle Alfie needs to use the "facilities" – I covered my eyes.
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Awake

What the hell is Awake? I had never even heard of this film until about a month ago. It just sort of came out of nowhere. One thing is certain. This thriller had the luxury of being the only film to open during the movie light Nov. 30th weekend. Would being the solo release help this little movie's box office add up? As it turns out, not really. It was buried by the plethora of films that opened the weekend before, but it still managed six jillion dollars. Not bad for a movie with very little advertising. Is Awake any good? Intimately, it isn't great, but it is efficient and with a minuscule seventy minute running time, at least you won't palpate like you wasted too practically time. In Awake, Hayden Christensen plays Clay Beresford, a well liked business man with a heart condition. In the end, Clay opts to have undetermined heart surgery by the work force of his good friend Dr. Jack Harper (Terrence Howard) instead of taking advice from his overbearing mother (Lena Olin) and allowing her reputable surgeon sidekick to perform the procedure. Financial support up Clay in his decision is his loving fiancee Surface-to-air missile (played by Jessica Alba). Stiff does go in for operation, but as he lay thither waiting for his anesthesia to take effect, a horrific reveal comes to the surface; he can feel the entire procedure. He looks unconscious, but he's actually completely aware of what's happening to him. This terrific condition is known as "anesthetic awareness." Of course, Awake has no interest in relying on this one plot gimmick alone. In that respect are several devices at play here and while many of them are silly beyond belief, the film is never drilling. At the very least it kept me, if you'll pardon the pun, awake. And I'd be lying if I aforesaid this flick didn't fool me a couple of times. I guess there's something to be said about a film that comes with no expectations. At its heart, Awake is an overstuffed thriller that doesn't recognize when to quit. It has elements of Coma, Vanilla Sky, and Malice, but it isn't as classy as those pictures, nor does it really try to be. Director Joby Harold is actually quite competent. He comes up with a few creative ways to get inside Christensen's head during the surgery scenes. The performances are adequate. Jessica Alba is actually quite good in the early goings of the delineation. She's sexy and confident, and I was quite surprised by her effectiveness. By the last act, I was kind of chuckling at her. I scarce couldn't buy into her hale persona. Christensen is decent, although his voice over work leaves a bit to be desired. Awake is a straight up thriller with twists galore, merely it's also a story about a nice guy who really should be more careful when it comes to issues of trust. As dumb as this movie got, I still institute myself somewhat entertained by it.

Bug

Bug doesn't necessarily represent director William Friedkin's very best work (The Exorcist, The French Connection) but it is provocative and lovingly odd enough to keep it from being mentioned in the same breath as The Protector and Jade. What's most unusual about this play adaptation is that most who see it, will undoubtedly see something entirely different. Some will look at it as a horror photographic film, others will look at it as a psychological thriller and many will simply view it as high camp. While it is all of these things, it's, at it's disturbing core group, a love story. In Bug, Ashley Judd is Agnes White, a mess of a women who spends her current days in a seedy Oklahoma hotel horrified at the thought that her abusive ex-lover (played by a wonderfully villainous Harry Connick Jr.) is about to be released from prison house. Michael Shannon is Peter Arthur Evans, a mess of a man whose troublesome military history travel along him wherever he goes. When Agnes and Peter meet, there's an immediate mess of a connection. After a brief courtship, these battered and abused souls become convinced that they have a bug infestation in their hotel room. This infestation leads them to more and more erratic behavior. The question is, do these flesh biting bugs actually exist, or do they merely exist in the minds of these psychologically unstable individuals? With Bug, William Friedkin re-establishes himself as a master of tone. From the very first shot of the film (a slow, aerial trailing shot of a hotel in the middle of nowhere), we the audience are well cognisant that this is the genial of place that one can't simply check out and walk away from. There's no where to go. This sense of isolation immediately brings to the forefront an ominous sense of claustrophobia. Then Friedkin introduces us to his two leads and allows them to build an odd rapport through chatty dialog and a deliberate, methodical pace. The screenplay by Tracy Letts (based on his play), feels like it was written for the stage and it would have been skillful to see the film break free of those constraints – just a little. Still, Friedkin is able to take the material in CREATIVE cinematic directions. His enormous trust in the cast and masterful use of sound make Bug much more than a stage play on film. Ashley Judd is very appealing here, and while some will dismiss her as mere trailer trash (as did so many with Christina Ricci's Rae in the criminally underrated Black Snake Moan), expect deeper, and you'll see much more under the surface. Agnes has been beaten down by life and it's easy to see why such a charwoman would succomb to Peter's patent world of dementia. Michael Claude Elwood Shannon is sensational as the odd simpleton Peter. He sort of fuses the creepy, unbalanced nature of Tom Berenger in Platoon, with the sweet, misunderstood childlike ways of Billy Bob William Thornton in Sling Blade. Judd and Shannon together prove to have an unusual but perfectly accommodation chemistry and both are uninhibited to say the least. Piece these actors do play some of the proceedings in an over the top fashion, it works because of the overall tone of the piece. As the film progresses, the actions of these characters become more and more inexplicable - culminating in a nauseating, unexpected conclusion. Bug is non a movie for the people. It's extremely talkie (much like last year's outstanding Hard Confect) and the love story funnily beautiful (reminding me a mo of the weird goings on in David Cronenberg's Crash). The screening I attended saw multiple walkouts, and that comes as absolutely no surprise to me. Lionsgate is marketing the film as a scary movie, and that's not really what Bug is. On the other mitt, after watching it, I'm not entirely sure that a suitable marketing strategy for Bug exists. Bug is weird and offbeat, but I had a fun time watching it because I was never quite sure where it was headed. Friedkin smartly directs the cinema with a slow build technique, and by the end, the tension is undeniable.
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Adam's Best-of for 2006

It's that time of year over again. That time when no key out critics such as myself throw together our illustrious best of lists. The truth is, I love this stuff. It's my hope that perhaps you the reader will get turned on to something that you might not have known about differently. On a final note, I saw around 200 movies last year and there are plenteousness of noteworthy titles I missed out on for whatever reason. Titles like Letters From Invasion of Iwo Jima, Shut Up and Sing, The Last King of Scotland, Venus, Volver, Dreamgirls (The Boneman calls this one the c. H. Best film of the year–JUST KIDDING!), etc. Many of these pictures are limited and have thus far to come to my neck of the woods. This list is simply a representation of what I saw and what I loved. Enjoy. 1. PAN'S LABYRINTH (R) This extraordinary tale from the gifted Guillermo del Toro (Devil's Backbone, Cronos, Hellboy) left me absolutely breathless. Fusing the reverence inspiring grandeur of familiar deeds of fantasy ( i.e. Alice in Wonderland, The Never-Ending Story, and Legend), with the brutal reality of Schindler's List and Life is Beautiful, combined with the dark and gothic nature found in the works of Clive Barker and H.P. Lovecraft, del Toro has masterfully created a stunning piece of art that walks the fine line between fantasy and reality effortlessly. Every frame of this movie is overflowing with passion of Christ and heart, and when it was over, I was deeply moved by the experience. The best work of del Toro's career and the best photographic film of the year. 2. UNITED 93 (R) Was it too soon for a movie like this? I suppose that depends on wHO you ask. Given the current status of the world, I'd say no. It wasn't to a fault soon. Director Paul Greengrass has created a harrowing snapshot of heroism in the darkest of hours. Shot in near literal time, United 93 is never overly sentimental, nor does it exploit in any way. This is a stunning achievement from a film maker who clearly set out to honor those who lost their lives on 911. 3. Give thanks YOU FOR SMOKING (R) This shrewd satire of the tobacco industry features a fantastic performance by Aaron Eckhart (in his best turn since making an unforgettable debut in In the Company of Men) as a tobacco lobbyist out to make the world easier for smokers. Strangely though, director Jason Reitman (son of Ivan) isn't so much interested in pickings an anti or pro smoke stance as he is in suggesting that freedom of alternative reigns supreme. The performances are outstanding, and even though this movie thrives on a kind of wicked sense of humor, it also has a surprising amount of heart anchored by a wonderful fatherson dynamic between Eckhart and an effective Cameron Bright (Birth). 4. BORAT: LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR Get BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF Kazak (R) Say what you will about the year's most controversial (and irreverent) movie. Simply put, no film made me laugh harder all year. The fearless Sasha Baron Cohen goes beyond the extra mile to crack us up, but this isn't meaningless, mean spirited comedy nor is it a unsubdivided minded attack on foreigners. In that location is a scathing social comment brewing just beneath the surface of this mild mannered bite of hilarity. Cohen forces us to look in the mirror. Oh, and did I happen to mention the film features nude wrestling in what is perhaps the most nauseatingly hilarious scene I've seen in a movie in years? Mr. Cohen has emerged as a laughable force to be reckoned with. 5. STRANGER THAN FICTION (PG-13) Will Ferrell proved that he can do subtle with this wonderful muffin about a lonely tax man who realizes that he power just be a character in a neurotic author's novel. Featuring winning performances by Ferrell, Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman, and Maggie Gyllenhaal, Stranger Than Fiction is a funny, sweet, and charming slice of whimsy that won me over from start to finish. While at a peek, one might feel compelled to compare this to Charlie Kaufman's trippy (and immensely entertaining) Version, don't. As much as I enjoyed Adaptation, I think Stranger Than Fiction is far less cynical and much more accessible. 6. MONSTER Mansion (PG) This stunning animated feature (incorporating the same technique used by The Polar Express) took me back to the 80's with it's wonderful tone. A tone akin to films like The Goonies, Monster Team, The Last Starfighter, and Explorers. Newcomer Gil Kenan's tale of a monstrous house that feeds on unsuspecting humans (and, in one case, a neighborhood dog) is alive with unlimited energy. What's more, Monster House has real character and the entire experience is perfectly complimented by this unique animated process. For my money, this celebration of youth is far more entertaining than The Polar Express. 7. THE FOUNTAIN (PG-13) This is, perhaps, the definitive "love it or hate it" film of the year. As is apparent by the high charting, I loved it. I'm willing to concede The Fountain is flawed, merely like Pan's Labyrinth, every frame is over flowing with heart and passion. Darren Aronofsky has fashioned a love story that deals with themes of fatality rate in a way that would make Stanley Kubrick (2001) and Andrei Tarkovsky (Solyaris) proud. Hugh Jackman gives his strongest performance to date as a man willing to do anything for the woman he loves and Rachel Weisz is absolutely lambent as his ill soul mate. An ambitious, challenging, mesmerizing film complimented by a haunting sexual conquest by Clint Mansell and Kronos Quartet. 8. THE QUEEN (PG-13) Stephen Frears' thought-provoking look at how the royal family dealt with the untimely death of Lady Diana is witty, touching, cold, grievous and incredibly well balanced in it's political views, but the real reason to see the movie is to marvel at Helen Mirren's complete transformation into the Queen. She not only captures the mannerisms of this well known public figure, just she's also a dead ringer for Elizabeth II. Kudos to the underappreciated Michael Sheen world Health Organization does an amazing job in portraying Prime Minister Tony Tony Blair. They might as well chain armour the glorious Helen Mirren her Oscar now. 9. THE DEPARTED (R) Martin Scorsese's return to the gangster genre (with this remake of Infernal Affairs) is the highest grossing film of his celebrated career, and it will most likely earn him his first directing Oscar. While I wouldn't rank this picture with the likes of Goodfellas (Scorsese's masterpiece as far as I'm concerned), it is a high energy masterwork fueled by Leonardo DiCaprio's finest performance since his captivating turn in What's Eating Gilbert Grape. There's been much talk about Jack Nicholson's memorable gangster Frank Costello, but DiCaprio carries the movie with a stamina and edge we haven't seen from him before. A blistering and powerful outing from unmatched of our greatest living directors. 10. CHILDREN OF MEN (R) Alfonso Cuaron's haunting vision of the cheeseparing future is dark and dim in it's depiction of a world in which women experience become infertile. Clive Owen is outstanding as a most improbable hero who is faced with the daunting task of transporting a young women with a most amazing secret, to consecrated ground. The journey is a deadly one and as I watched this picture with it's eerie, run down city landscapes and bloodied war zones, I was reminded somewhat of Henry M. Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket. The final act of this picture show is a visceral assault and I was never entirely sure if Clive Owen's character would make it through the flick alive. Cuaron's hand held photographic camera technique lends a startling intimacy to the proceedings - a visually striking, nightmarish vision of a world gone to hades. Watch for a hilarious, devout, but all too brief supporting turn from Michael Caine. 11. THE DESCENT (R) 2006 was a banner year for the horror genre, and Neil Marshall's monster motion picture leads the pack as the best of the lot. With it's horrific, nail biting tenseness, this story of female spelunkers braving the element, and then being forced to fight cancelled carnivorous creatures deep within an uncharted cave, provides the sort of perilous, non stop thrills delivered by James Cameron's Aliens from over twenty years ago. Marshall is clearly a fan of the genre (this film offers up images plucked from legendary workings of horror including Carrie, Outlander, and Dead Calm just to name a few), and wish the best of film makers, he's found a way to make the familiar feel newfangled again. This film is rightfully terrifying. 12. Half NELSON (R) Half Viscount Nelson is a tour de force of virtuoso acting and proves once and for all that Ryan Gosling is the real deal. He's simply extraordinary. Ascertain as he brings this complex, drug addicted history teacher to life. Shareeka Epps is also stellar as the young scholarly person who, in her own agency, teaches this teacher a thing or two about how life really is. The performances in this beautifully structured, intimately nuanced film are so stunning, that I forgot I was observation actors on the screen. Aught in this picture feels imitation or arbitrary. And in fact, it's one of the best film's about addiction I've ever seen. It offers no easy answers or fake sentimentality. It simply presents this complicated valet and his escalating situation. Director Ryan Fleck is a talent to watch. 13. V FOR VENDETTA (R) V For Vendetta is one of the more interesting graphic novel adaptations to hit the screen, because it takes tough subject matter (in this type, terrorism), and forces us to look at it with a new perspective. Further more, it's simply stunning visually. Natalie Portman (sporting a bald head) is gorgeous and vulnerable as the heroine while Hugo Weaving strikes the perfect tone as the hero (or anti-hero–depending on you opinion) of the piece - a sort of Zorro for a futuristic society repressed by a Nazi like regime. Qualification Weaving's performance all the more astonishing is the fact that he simply does it through vocals. We never see the guy's face. This is an extremely smart and efficient funny book film. 14. THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS (PG-13) I have to be honest. I didn't expect a lot from this film. The trailer made it look like nothing more than Will Bessie Smith Oscar bait. Boy was I wrong. This movie really radius to me with it's inspirational true story of Chris Gardner, a down on his fortune salesman trying to provide for his son during the 80's. Will Smith gives one of the best performances of the year and he's perfectly complimented by his real life son Jaden. Being a parent, I could completely identify with this guy, and while I've never experienced the sheer hell he and his son endure in this movie, the message was still loud and clear. The ending of The Pursuit of Happyness nearly moved me to tears. Props to Smith for getting behind this project. His performance is every bit as inspirational as the film itself. 15. CASINO ROYALE (PG-13) I've heard all the arguments. Daniel Craig is all wrong for Bond. The movie's not sexy enough. Where are all the gadgets? Where's the sense of fun? Blah, blah, blah! Firstly, Daniel Craig is not conventionally handsome at a glance, but you volition find him incredibly good looking at (and charismatic) after seeing him as Bond. Just ask my wife. Secondly, the film is plenty sexy. And in fact, the relationship between Bond and Vesper Lynd (the stunning Eva Green) is, perhaps, the most fully realized union in any Bond film. It doesn't get any sexier (or romantic) than that. Thirdly, Casino Royale is based on the first Bond certificate book, so the gadgets we've come to know and erotic love haven't really entered the equation yet. Finally, where's the playfulness? What, are you kidding me? This is grand entertainment. Sure, it's grittier and darker than past Bond films, but I'll take the exhilarating opening twist site chase over that empty-headed Bond surfing scene in Go Another Day any day of the week. This is the best Bond film in years, and I can't wait to see how Craig evolves as the famed character in the next installment. 16. CARS (G) Pixar does it yet again. This time, they've made an animated feature about talking – you guessed it - cars. Taking more than than a page or deuce from the Michael J. Fox vehicle Doc Hollywood, Cars coasts along on pure charm and masterful animation. True, the flick is a little too long, but I loved it anyhow. And extra added props to Larry the Cable Guy wHO hits all the right notes as the lovable tow truck Mater. John Lassiter has fashioned yet another undeniable winner. 17. THE PRESTIGE (PG-13)THE ILLUSIONIST (PG-13) I suppose a tie isn't solely fair, but I put The Prestige and The Illusionist together for obvious reasons. Actually, I initially rated The Prestige a little bit higher, but later seeing The Illusionist again, I discovered I liked both films equally for different reasons. The Illusionist is a jigsaw teaser movie in the same vein as The Usual Suspects. By the end of the film, everything comes together and no stone is left unturned for the audience. There is a "why" and there is a "how" in footing of the plot structure. The Prestige by comparison, is a little more ambiguous. There are twists and turns that bring in sense, but Christopher Nolan likes to leave a little spot of the unexplainable in the viewer's head. In terms of the magic, both films do a good job of non giving away all the big trade secrets, and in the end, both pictures play like elaborate illusions themselves. 18. INVINCIBLE (PG) Walt Disney has pretty much single handedly re-ignited the underdog sports flick, and while I loved Miracle, I enjoyed Invincible more. I don't know why or how, it just...worked for me. The film takes place in Philadelphia during the 70's and features a nobody becoming a somebody. Sounds suspiciously like another famous sports film. In fact, the Itallian Stallion just hit the silver screen for his swan song, and even though I enjoyed Rocky's send off, I prefer Invincible. I credit Mark Wahlberg for his understated performance and director Ericson CORE for expertly creating the sites and sounds of gridiron resplendency without losing site of the characters in the piece. This is based on a true story, but I'm sure many of the facts were altered for overall cinematic effect, and I'll be damned if it didn't work like a charm. 19. CHARLOTTE'S Vane (G) Based on the beloved children's book by E.B. White, this faithful adaptation is a wonderful film for the entire family. The ocular effects are simply stunning. They're seamlessly integrated into the movie, and at times, I didn't know if I was watching a CG creation or the real thing. The vocal work is perfect. The stand-outs are Julia Robert's compassionate spider Charlotte, Steve Buscemi's selfish rat Templeton, and Thomas Hayden Church's clueless crow Brooks. What I loved most about this picture is that the effects crew don't make the characters overly precious. Charlotte looks like a real spider, while Templeton looks wish a real rat. It adds to the overall effectiveness of the film. On a net note, Danny Elfman's score is simply magical. 20. HOSTEL (R) It's been called everything from pornography to all out trash, but quite frankly, I think it's ane of the best horror films to hit the screen in a long time. No easy feat considering I really wasn't a very big fan of Eli Roth's debut Cabin Fever. That movie was more funny than scary. True, Hostel is more disturbing than scary, simply it's glimpse into the sorry side of human nature truly made my skin crawl. The final half hour of Auberge is incredibly intense meshing American horror with an Asian horror sensibility. After watching this flick, I could see why Quentin Tarantino was quick to smacking his name on it. In terms of shocks and scares, The Descent is the c. H. Best horror film of the year, but Hostel comes in moment place (with Slither not far behind). 21. THE LAST KISS (R) I know I'll be taken to task for this. How could I possibly give a disconfirming review to The Holiday, then turn around and shower extolment upon a film that delves into the lives of turbulent lovers and that deadly sin that is infidelity? I just happen to think The Last Kiss is a much stronger film. It's brutally honest in it's depiction of smart mass doing stupid things. Zach Braff has never been better and Tom Wilinkson and Blythe Danner are exceptional as an senescence couple trying to keep their marriage together. This is even another ake, and while I have so far to see the original, I love Paul Haggis' honest screenplay and Tony Goldwyn's observant centering. 22. LITTLE Lose SUNSHINE (R) If there was a true independent success story this year, it's sure Little Miss Sunshine. After pull in one of the biggest pay days in the history of the Sundance Film Festival, this witty road movie went on to enjoy a sound box office run. This gem of a movie benefits from a strong cast headed by the delightful Abigail Breslin wHO plays cute without being to a fault cute. Her big moment at the end of the film is classic. Steve Carell, Alan Arkin, Toni Collette, and Greg Kinear are all in top form as well. And how about a special shout extinct to Paul Dano who gives a wonderful performance through very little dialogue. Truth be told, if it weren't for a completely out of place picture in which Kinear is pulled over by a cop on the freeway, I might give birth charted this one higher. As it stands, Little Miss Temperateness is a terrific movie. 23. SLITHER (R) Unlike The Descent and Hostel, Slither harkens back to a time of more playful horror. With a tone that's more in tune with the likes of Evil Dead II and Creepshow, this flick delivers the goods. And God bless director James Gunn (who got his start with Troma films) for going equal parts CG, match parts old school make up effects. The cast, lead by Natahn Fillion, Elizabeth Banks, and Michael Rooker are clearly having a good time here, and that fun energy seeps right off the screen. Gregg Henry, in particular, is howlingly comic as a foul mouthed Mayor (his Dr. Pibb speech is a highlight in the film). Slither is ickey-gooey fun and it bums me out that the film wasn't a bigger hit. 24. AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH (PG) I resisted seeing this documentary for quite a long time because...well...quite frankly, this global warming stuff scares the shite out of me! I wasn't keen on listening to Al Gore tell me, for two hours, how I've screwed up the Earth. Obviously, I did eventually see the movie and I'm glad I did. Al Gore, who has a reputation for being as stiff as a board, is surprisingly animated here, and he's also quite suspicious as he pleads his slip with what he deems a moral issue and not a political issue. To my corking pleasure, An Inconvenient Truth isn't all gloom and doom. It's informative and hopeful and I'm really glad I watched it. 25. BABEL (R) Spain hit U.S. cinemas with a vengeance this year. Guillermo del Toro delivered the best film of the year with Pan's Labyrinth while Alfonso Cuaron wasn't far behind with his haunting Children of Men. I have yet to see Pedro Almodovar's Volver, just I have seen Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Babel. Babel has a plethora of hefty issues on it's mind - perhaps likewise many. The end result is a movie that's never rather as profound as it aspires to be. It's one of those movies that delivers many powerful moments, but as a whole, it doesn't quite collide with the mark. Having said that, I really liked the picture. The cast (most notably Brad Pitt, Rinko Kikuchi, and Adriana Barraza) are just tremendous. With Amores Perros, 21 Grams, and now Babel, Inarritu has accomplished himself as a major talent. I look forward to seeing what he does next. 26. PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST (PG-13) I wasn't a vast fan of the first Pirates movie. I attribute that movie's success to one Johnny Depp. As the actor has illustrated time and time again, he makes mediocre projects watchable (realise Secret Window or Once Upon a Time in Mexico). So imagine my surprise when I walked out of Dead Man's Chest completely entertained. In my opinion, this film is immeasurably more entertaining than the first, and it goes beyond Depp's involvement. Director Gore Verbinski and his crew simply took the best elements of the first movie and amplified them. Depp is, once again, in top form and I also loved Bill Nighy as half manoctupi Davy Jones. Amazing visual effects - amazing spectacle. I'm in reality excited for the next installment (it's due in May). 27. HARD CANDY (R) Hard Candy is a deceptive little thriller starring the amazing newcomer Ellen Page as a potential internet stalker victim. Patrick Wilson is the possible stalker. Most of the film takes place in a single location with these two actors engaged in an intense game of cat and mouse (suppose Misery if it were written by David Mamet). There's unrivalled sequence in particular that made me squirm in my seat. Page is a revelation. A great thriller that opts to use the power of suggestion to its utmost advantage. 28. APOCALYPTO (R) Mad Mel Gibson's Mayan hazard is the best straight up action entertainment of the year. This graphic, hypnotic thrill ride is the creation of a truly gifted artist whose off-screen antics often taint his awful cinematic efforts. It's a shame too, because what this man did in his personal life doesn't make him any less of an artist. Birth of Nation is considered by many to be one of the greatest films ever made even though in many circles, it's director D.W. Griffith was considered racist. Give Gibson some credit. He's a talented theatre director and the relentless, breathtaking travel that is Apocalypto is further proof of this. 29. THE PUFFY CHAIR (R) The Puffy Chair is the little indie that got away. There's isn't anything peculiarly groundbreaking about this cheaply made road movie. What really makes it so entertaining is its likable and charming cast (jumper cable by Mark Duplass) and it's observant and insightful look into what makes a relationship tick. Quite frankly, the relationship scenario in this picture is far more thoughtful and realistic than the one in the box office hit The Break Up. 30. FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION (PG-13) Christopher Guest's mostly improvised comic opus pokes fun at the Oscars. Like the rest of Guest's movies, this one really sneaks up on you. It isn't go for broke improvisational comedy (as featured in movies like Anchorperson and this year's Borat) merely rather a blend of subtle humor mixed with a surprising amount of heart. Catherine O' Hara is the standout in an all star cast of comical heavyweights and wouldn't it be ironic (and completely worth) if she garnered an Academy Award nomination for her outstanding work here? HONORABLE Honorable mention; FEAST (R), Slight CHILDREN (R), 16 BLOCKS (PG-13), EIGHT BELOW (PG), BLOOD Baseball diamond (R), HOLLYWOODLAND (R), JACKASS Number 2 (R), LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN (R), PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION (PG-13), CRANK (R), SUPERMAN RETURNS (PG-13), and WORLD TRADE CENTER (PG-13).

Bone's Last CineVegas Report

One More Saturday Night Charlize Theron received the annual Half life award, probably because of all that radiation she was subjected to in The Astronauts Married woman. Which is just a really lame joke, The Half Life award goes to someone world Health Organization has amassed an impressive body of work, but still has many productive years left. Last years recipient was Samantha Jelly Roll Morton. The conversation with Charlize was spiced up immeasurably by the presence of Dennis Hopper whom is starring in the Theron-produced Sleepwalking. (If you imdb this the former title Ferris Roulette wheel is still being used.) The clip they showed was very compelling. Hopper is in mean-drunk-father mode and Theron (again glamoured way down) plays a woman returning home extinct of desperation with a surprise that for now she is keeping a secret. The surprise has to do with AnnaSophia Robb (who is fast desquamation her curse as the pathetic mans' Dakota Fanning) The terrific Nick Stahl is also on board and the scene betwixt he and Theron was enough to whet anyone's appetite for this film. Given the ripe role, Theron can just compressed act. She also acknowledged her Producing partner AJ Dix world Health Organization was in the audience and who was also gracious sufficiency to agree to read my script (please like it, please like it, please like it, please like it, please like it, please like it.) If any of you happen to know A.J. put in a good word. Vangaurd Actor Award – Ben Kingsley Certainly the most intimate and illuminating conversation was with that Sexiest of all Beasts, Sir Ben Kingsley. He was just mesmerizing to listen to and carried himself with such grace and humility that it came as a disappointment when they had to end it in order to screen door his new film You Pop Me. There were a number of fascinating revelations about Ben that I'll touch on later, but as he talked around the craft of acting, how he approaches, his philosophy around it – it was just spell-binding. Even though very soft spoken there was such a respectful hush in the theatre of operations that it was a little uncanny. Few fans of the man who Oscared for Ghandi probably know that he was offered a recording contract by Brian Epstein. If I remember right Ben was starring in a musical called "A Smashing Day" which John Lennon and Dick James of (Northern Songs) saw and recommended a meeting with Epstein. (I'm reading this off painfully scratched notes taken in the dark so you'll have to excuse any inaccuracies) but it was along those lines. This was circa 66-67 And I believe the story went that while he was considering this path he was offered the title role as Baal by the Royal Shakespeare Company and he thanks that bit of divine intervention from saving him from a life of catastrophic indulgence. This may well be, but I wonder if humankind hasn't been shortchanged to suffer trudged on without knowing the brilliance of the Kingsley of Rock and Roll. Thank you vury much. For a good balance of his time he discussed working with the really very noteworthy mould of You Kill Me. He fairly gushed about his leading lady Tea Leone, comparing her with Audrey Hepburn, confessed his fanboy status as to St. Luke Wilson. He also liberal with praise of director John Pigeon pea and his ability to put actors at comfort and coaxing terrific performances from everyone. He mentioned what a kick it was to work with Dennis Farina. He did fail to mention anything about whom I thought really stole the evince from everyone but Ben himself and that was Bill Pullman car. The only problem of the whole experience was that Ben had built up our expectations for the film way beyond anything that it was able to deliver. Now that I consider it from the light of the key performances I think I'm going to upgrade my original mark, but anyhow here goes - You Kill Me (R) Cast – Ben Kinglsey, Tea Leone, Dennis Farina, Phillip Baker Hall, Luke Wilson, Bill Pullman As Black comedies go the two most recent examples of near perfection are Hot Hair and the underrated The Water ice Storm. After listening to the praise of Kingsley I was expecting the finest acting performances in the history of film. After all the cast is truly stellar and John Pigeon-pea plant is no slouch as a director. I think it's fair to say I was pretty pumped. But after sitting through The Land of the Lively Misfits I'd say my expectations will never again be over-inflated. You Kill Me certainly gets off to a promising start. The way Kingsley's aging, alcoholic, disillusioned hitman character is established was very funny. And seeing a group of mobsters doing a sincere treatment is a comic idea that couldn't miss. For his component, Kingsley trying to deny that a problem exists while shit-faced is equally sure-fire. Sadly from about this point on the film gradually loses altitude as we are asked to accept one implausible circumstance after some other. Dahl seemed unable to pick a tone for the celluloid and as a result it foundered at times like a rudderless ship - never finding the right tack. Black comedy is perhaps the hardest genre in the populace to get right and I felt like most of the blame lies in the script. Far too much of the dialogue was so-so and the jokes were mostly sitcom caliber. Tea Leone's character just made no sense whatsoever. The writer's offer absolutely no justification as to why a beautiful young woman would be attracted to an aging hitman with a severe drinking problem, currently functional as an assistant mortician. Sure, he's a Sexy Beast and so forth, but he never does or says anything to turn a woman's head – at least that I power saw. And then with absolutely no character development let alone any kind of arc, we're expected to believe that Leone decides to start killing people as a show of affection toward her man? It just didn't work. What little screen time she has she spends spouting off acerbic one-liners, because? Her father was a bastard? Also plaguing the credibleness of You Kill Me is the fact that they paint Kingsley out to be a drunk so inexorably hooked by the hootch that he literally carries a fifth with him everywhere he goes. It's so bad that his mob menage has threatened to off him if he doesn't dry up. So do they send him to rehab? Nope, he scarcely goes to AA meetings and the next thing you know the raging alcky has pretty much kicked the bottle, other than the occasional slide sour the wagon. That's just insulting. Perhaps the biggest lapse in plausibility is that without Kingsley's gun to keep business running smoothly, the family's rival mob (lead by the completely wasted Dennis Farina) valse in and take over. And when it comes down to the final shoot out to decide which mob is to rule the roost. There are only three or four hands in each mob. Were it not for Leone picking up a pistol, Kingsley and the clan would have been terribly outnumbered – what the hell, I thought it was mandatory to worship the Godfather? Now all of these gaping holes could be forgiven if any of this would have been cleverly written or even well paced. But all this film really offers is a great cast who are given precious little to do. It does have one heavy big saving grace and I don't have to tell you what that is. When Kingsley was on camera everything worked like magic and luckily for everyone he was front and center much of the time. His ability to take on indignation without bullets or bottle was dead on, and he was able to captain the ship through the shallows and safely into port. He's doubtless one of our finest. B- It's a testament to the maturation of CineVegas as a festival to be regarded with respect that of the 15 or so films that I screened there were only 3 that I wouldn't recommend. At the round top of that list, way way way up on top is In The Land Of Gay Misfits, a film Adam will review, My Name is Bruce (Bruce Campbell's attempt to burlesque his life and peculiar career, missed the mark but I'll leave it at that) and the film I'll comment upon now. Being an incurable punster I should say that this Mexican import was very much a borderline call, but in the end didn't quite cut it for reasons I shall now expand upon, thusly, in the following manner, ergo Never On Sunday (NR) Cast – Silverio Palacios, rto Busto, Maya Zapata, Fernando Becerril Daniel Gruener directed this black comedy set in introduce day Mexico City – the fact that it's based on a true story certainly lends it's in-your-face morbidity a cadence of legitimacy. Had Editor Gabriel Rodriguez been willing to wield and assertive pair of clippers Never On Sunday could get been groomed into an efficacious and well paced film. As it stands, Never on Sun ends sometime Monday morning. The story is surely compelling and given the fact that, allegedly, it all actually happened, makes the grave nature of the foul play and the misadventures that result all the more . . . unpleasant? The unpleasantness begins when Uncle Julio dies after a protracted illness on the most unluckiest of Sundays. (Why it is so luckless is never made clear) only the story leaves little question that it was indeed an unlucky day to have died. Due to the day and the fact that the deceased's family is not well to do, they must settle for the services of a louche mortician Eleuterio (Raul Mendez) world Health Organization is in the habit of making an extra peso or two by selling the corpses of those unfortunates whose kinsperson choose to have their loved one cremated. In order to provide a plausible amount of ashes to fill the urns of the bereaved, he either kills a stray dog or a stray homeless person and fires up the human hibachi. The task of handling this bit of unpleasantness for the family falls to their teenage son Pedro (Jose Antonio Gaona) who smells a rat after meeting the disreputable owner of the morgue. He does however, smell something else entirely after catching a glance of his punky princess of a daughter. The morticians typical M O with regard to the disposition of the bodies is to sell them to the Universidad for use as cadavers for their medical students. Everything starts to go bung for pretty much everyone involved begins when Eleuterio forgets that he promised the cadaver to a corrupt agency of the government who requisite it immediately to cover up a little assassination that they found necessary. I think you can start to see a pattern developing here, as their beloved Uncles' wrinkly old body is subjected to one indignity after another. The scenarios start out quite comically as Pedro uncle begins to bounce around Mexico City like a pinball. There are also some clever moments in the morgue where Pedro and Eleuterio's daughter are forced to blot out from him in a coffin. In fact they are forced to spend so much time in such close quarters that by the time the coast is finally clear they determine to remain inside and close a deal of their own. Never On Sun had three major problems that could have been ironed out in post, particularly in redaction. One, I'm convinced they put-upon a real cadaver for Uncle Julio and by the third base act the corpse had undergone such advanced decomposition that when he started popping up "ha ha" it stopped organism funny and started being flagrant. Two, Uncle Julio's travels began to be so frequent and convoluted that it was very difficult to follow incisively what was happening. Plus pats of him were practically starting to fall off. You canful only take black comedy so far and Uncle Julio stopped up being funny well before he reached his final place of rest. Thirdly, the film was just too long, two hours plus is as well long for a cadaver caper regardless if it was a true story. Had they tightened it up by 20-25 proceedings it would have worked a lot better. Pedro and the morticians daughter were in the coffin together for at least 15 minutes. Still there was a lot of things to like about the film. I liked how the creators played hopscotch with the blame until it became awfully blurry as to who the really bad guys were and who were just the hapless cabrones just trying to line their pockets a bit. Again all of this would have been so much more effective if I hadn't stopped caring about any of it about half way through. Grade: C Speaking for myself, Adam, Kyle and Jeff we just need to acknowledge the competent and courteous staff from Trevor Groth all the way down to the cheerful volunteers. CineVegas is just a pure joy and I can only hope that it remains as delightful an experience even as it grows in the years to come. After You Obliterate Me on Saturday Night they through an all out rager at the Beach at Mandalay Bay and oh my goodness. A seafood buffet that wouldn't stop – there was this crab sushi that was just beyond description, the place was lousy with celebrities and more importantly the friends we get made on our many sojourns to events in Vegas. To all of them and to all of you – ciao – just try to maintain us away next year.
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1408

1408 is a mind f**k. A glorious, cerebral, creepy as inferno mind f**k, and it gets extra props for delivering acantha tingling chills with very little blood. 1408 is in fact PG-13, but it isn't nonpareil of those stupid, generic, disposable fright pictures out to make a quick buck. On the contrary, this film is much more, but I suspect it will frustrate some viewers because of it's psychological complexity. Having said that, this atmospheric fib of evil works like a charm. It perfectly meshes one-time school scares with a modern-day, digital-age twist. Based on one of Stephen King's lesser known short-stories, 1408 features John Cusack as Mike Enslin, a writer who stays in various hotels around the globe, debunking claims of paranormal action. As Mike explains in the film, most of these hotels start in house haunting rumors as a gimmick to boost business. Mr. Enslin gets more than he bargained for, however, when he decides to check into room 1408 at the posh Dolphin Hotel in New York City. Upon arrival, he is immediately introduced to hotel manager Gerald Olin (Samuel L. Jackson), an vocalise (and convincing) man who does everything in his power to talk Mike out of staying in the infamous room. He even shares a documented history of the ghoulish happenings that surround room 1408, but Mike remains unswayed. Enslin takes his job seriously and remains tariff bound to seek out the truth for his readers. Mayhap more importantly, he simply does not believe in "ghosts and long legged beasties." Of course if there weren't any horrific things going on in 1408, then we wouldn't have much of a motion-picture show would we? 1408 is a smart, multilayered fear flick, and where some tales of this nature are unable to walk that line between drama and the supernatural (you can run but you can't hide Dark Water), this unmatchable gets it right. I will say the adjust up leaves a bit to be desired. The opening conversation between Enslin and Olin is extremely mechanical, and ultimately, the early goings on in the film feel far too scripted. However, the moment Mike enters the room, which is close to twenty minutes into the painting, 1408 really delivers. Director Mikael Hafstrom (who made the less than stellar Derailed) proves to be quite the visual stylist, and he sort of puts the audience in a dreamlike state for much of the film. Sure, 1408 has a fair share of typical supernatural thriller cliches, and yes, fans of King will notice elements of other King stories ( i.e. The Bright, The Ledge, etc.), but it doesn't matter, because ultimately, this movie is creepy and has a keen visual sense. Some of the imagery here level has a Stanley Kubrick pack about it. Interestingly enough, Kubrick's adaptation of The Shining is considered by many to be one of the great fright pictures of all time, even though those who praise it often point to the fact that it has more of Stanley Kubrick's Shine to it than it's famous author's. Through a dark and nightmarish tone, King and Hafstrom appear to be paying court to a film maker they clearly admired. Much of 1408 plays like a supernatural version of 2001. Screenwriters Flatness Greenberg (Reign of Fire) and dynamic duo Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (Ed Wood, The People Vs. Larry Flynt) experience done a great job taking what many believed to be a difficult story to adapt, by coming up with cunning ways to narrate the things going on inside Enslin's head. They've also fashioned a completely evil character in the pattern of room 1408 itself. Moreover, there's a lot more going away on in this film than meets the eye. This isn't simply the tale of a non believer who becomes a believer. That would be far too easy. Enslin's journey isn't only emotionally painful and frightening, but it's also cathartic. Throughout the movie, we question whether or not these events ar actually taking place, or if Enslin's mind has stripped its gears. In a nice touch, we are given an reply in the final moment of the movie. Patch we're on the topic of Mike Enslin, I'd be an absolute idiot if I didn't talk about the brilliant performance by the dependable and reprehensively underrated John Cusack. He is spot on as the instead recalcitrant and skeptical writer. Cusack is amazing in the way that he constantly tries to rationalize what he's seeing throughout this film, and we're good there with him. I was amazed by Cusack's ability to convey fear, confidence, and vulnerability without the luxury of bouncing off other actors (a similar feat pulled off by Tom Hanks in Cast Away). At that place are other performances in 1408 (including an effective but all too small turn by Mary McCormack as Enslin's estranged married woman) but for most of it's running time, 1408 is virtually a one man show. Congratulations to John Cusack for his stellar work. 1408 is a scary movie simply I wouldn't necessarily call it a straight up ghost chronicle. Calling the room haunted isn't really a fair assessment. What dwells in room 1408 is the personification of pure evil. It will do anything to destroy a life. In fact, the evil in 1408 is not unlike the dark forcefulness that populates many of King's works (the town of Derry being the best example). Merely what sets this effective moving-picture show apart from other genre films is its emotional heft. It's one thing to watch a character get the crap scared out of him, but something else entirely to actually care about that character. This is one of the best movies of the summer.

Bee Movie

Bee Movie marks the return of Jerry Seinfeld, and if you're a fan of the peculiar man, it's a safe wager that you're going to like this movie. In Bee Moving picture, Seinfeld voices honey bee Barry B. Benson. A free-thinking bee with existential leanings who refuses to accept the fact that his destiny is to remain within the hive and lay down honey for the rest of his life. He believes that adventure awaits him in the outside world. One day, he decides to join the pollen collecting squad as they speculation outside the hive. After getting separated from the squad, he strikes up a most strange bond with a human. Bee Movie isn't without it's inventive moments. There is some absolutely hilarious stuff in this movie. Seinfeld's observant and dry sense of humor is well on display. Also lending a helpful hand are a couple of outstanding bit players, both of which I'd rather not reference in this review. They're far too funny to spoil here. Alas, as cagey as much of the committal to writing is here, there are a couple things that really bothered me in Bee Movie, outset of which was the unimaginitive artwork that went into the look of the bee character designs. There's just nothing particularly interesting about Barry's look or any of the bees for that matter. When you watch a film like Cars (or anything from Pixar), there's something striking about the character designs. Yes, most bees look a like, but in an animated feature, you want that roadblock crossed. Even The Ant Bully managed to put together interesting personality traits for the several ants in that universe. I also really could have done without Barry communicating with the humans. Even in an animated world, you consume to follow rules you set up for yourself. Bees talking to one another is one thing, but bees talking to humanity is something else entirely. In the recent Ratatouille, the picture show makers came up with an interesting way for the rat to communicate with a human without words. Once Barry started talking to Rene Zellweger's Genus Vanessa Bloome, the film lost a little of it's magic for me. Still, Bee Movie isn't without its charm. Jerry Seinfeld is a lot of fun here, and chances are his involvement alone will be enough to win over audiences.

3:10 To Yuma

3:10 To Yuma is hitherto another remake, but thankfully, this one works like a good luck charm. Based on the 1957 flick of the same name (a classic which also inspired director James Mangold to make the stunning Copland). This gritty, elating western features Christian Bale as Dan Evans, a poor rancher whose only goal in life is to provide for his family. When Evans comes on hard times, he agrees, for a price, to escort the ruthless (and murderous) Ben Virginia Wade (played by bad boy Charles Taze Russell Crowe) to the town of Contention where he will expect the 3:10 train to Yuma. Once in Yuma, Wade will finally meet his maker. Along the treacherous journey to the town of Contention, Evans and Wade presently discover they have more in common than they once thought. 3:10 to Yuma is a gorgeous film, and patch it was a given that this movie would be a character driven piece, it as well emerges as one of the best action films of the year. Bale delivers a quiet but masterful performance while Crowe chews scenery as the heavy. It is Ben Foster, however, who steals the show as Crowe's guard dog of a right hand man. Foster exudes a swagger and playfulness that deserves to be recognized come awards season. 3:10 to Yuma's anti-violent message comes through loud and clear without beating it over the audience's head, and the final moments of this film reminded me a bit of the closing frames of Sam Mendes' brilliant Road To Perdition. At it's heart though, this is really a movie about loyalty. 3:10 to Yuma is high amongst the strongest films of the year and I can't wait to see it again. :: zBoneman.com Reader Comments ::

24 Hr Party People

While it is quite obvious that I'm a big movie fan, music is a major theatrical role of my life as well. How could it not be? I mean, I run a music store. I am into a great variety of tunes, but as of the last couple of years, I've genuinely found myself drawn to the onslaught of British bands invading the states. Michael Winterbottom's new film 24 Hour Party The great unwashed is an amusing comedy direction on the Manchester music conniption via the late 70's and early 80's. Steve Coogan is Tony Wilson, the founder of Factory Records, a band-friendly label that would distribute works by the likes of Joy Divsion, New Order, The Happy Mondays and many others. While the movie is grounded in truth, Winterbottom can't help but embelish the facts, but he does so in a carefree manner and even allows the film's characters to allow the audience know what is fact and what is fable. Coogan is fantastical as Wilson. This was a guy who really loved rock and roll and putting bands on the map, even if there was a fair part of blind luck involved. Charles Thomson Rees Wilson also liked to live the same sort of turbulent life style as the bands he was promoting. While the rest of the cast is engaging, it is Coogan's show. Winterbottom has shot 24 Hour Party People in a sort of documentary style, interweaving his footage with stock footage of rare performances by bands from the scene. The Sex Pistols stuff in particular, adds a burst of energy to this funny, rock fable. The writerdirector also seems to have a grasp on the time stop, and vast knowledge of the bands that are talked about throughout the picture. So did I like the movie? To a point. In that location is no denying that this film offers up some really funny stuff (watch for a hilarious homage to Apocalypse Nowadays featuring a Flock of Pigeons). It's also a picture perfect recreation of a time period long since vanished. I hardly found myself bored for certain stretches of the 24 60 minutes Party People. At that place is no doubt that fans of the early Manchester fit are going to have a great time at this picture show. It pulsates with a lively soundtrack and captures the feel of it's era. For those who are not fans of the Manchester scene, this volition certainly do nothing to exchange you. I for one, never really got into New Order and some of the other bands in question, but I did appreciate the spirit and lively bravado of 24 Hour Party People.

Black Hawk Down

If thither is one thing that films like Platoon and Saving Private Ryan try to tell us, it's that war is hell. This is certainly ostensible in Ridley Scott's unrelenting and violent Black Mortarboard Down. This re-enactment of a failed mission to Mogadishu, Somalia in 1993 has no other purpose but to show us the infrangible horror and chaos that is state of war. The set up and introduction of the film's many characters lasts more or less forty proceedings. Once the helicopter goes down in Mogadishu, the bullets start flying as a military helicopter unit find themselves under major siege. The cast includes many familiar faces. Tom Sizemore, William Fichtner and Ewan McGregor are solid as vastly different men with a common use. Josh Hartnett fares a great deal better here then he did in the overbloated Pearl Harbour. And although he has an all-too-small role, Eric Bana (Chopper) emerges as the standout in this huge ensemble. Make no mistakes. This is a director's flick. Forget the screenplay and the performances, Ridley Scott is the real reason that this video industrial plant as intimately as it does. In one case he has the audience in his grasp, he refuses to let go. This video recording is furious in it's execution seldom giving the audience a moment's rest. This is an slimy, unflinching look at war in which men die without much of a warning. Smutty Hawk Down works better as a film than Scott's recent Gladiator and Hannibal, simply it still comes up shy of being the masterpiece he's capable of making (see Alien or Bladerunner). Afterwards all is said and done, I wanted more out of Black Hawk Down. It certainly doesn't sugar coating anything, just it too lacks an emotional nucleus. I didn't feel like I knew these manpower and that keeps the picture from being all that it could've been. Of course, it could be argued that this video isn't really about the soldiers but war itself. In that sense, Scott's visceral assault on the audience delivers with unrelenting power.
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