Best of the Month: Sin City
Worst of the Month: The Amityville Horror
- The Amityville Horror. Not good. Dull and boring would be a good start. I didn't really care for the original, but I had hopes for this one. The film is shot well, it has a nice washed out look. The acting is flat, and the scares non-existent. **
- Beauty Shop. An entertaining spin off from the Barbershop films, but the story was little on the lightweight side. It ended just as it was gaining momentum. Colorful characters abound and Queen Latifah did a great job carrying the film. **.5
- Downfall. From director Oliver Hirschbiegel comes this incredible film about the fall of Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich. WWII from the German perspective, unlike any of the past films I have seen. Bruno Ganz's performance is fantastic. ***.5
- Fever Pitch. The Farrelly Brothers get out of their slump and hit one out of the park. Jimmy Fallon also rebounds from the wreck that was Taxi. A surprisingly touching film that offers genuine insight to relationships. ***
- Gunner Palace. Interesting documentary about an artillery unit stationed in Uday Hussein's bombed out palace. Gives a different view of the war and a great way of seeing what the troops are like and what they have to deal with on a daily basis. The voice over sounds a but funny, but definitely worth seeing. ***
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Absurdist cinema is alive and well. It has been years since I read the book and my memory of the details is fuzzy, but I felt like there were chunks of detail missing. It was Monty Python-esque in it's humor, although the narrative isn't terribly strong. Enjoyable but ultimately weak. **.5
- The Interpreter. Highly enjoyable political thriller. It is cleverly plotted, and has an intricate road map of players and destinations. I liked how Sydney Pollack sidesteps the typical Hollywood cliches of this film type. Sean Penn and Nicole Kidman bring life to their roles, and the supporting cast fleshes the whole film out. ***
- Kung Fu Hustle. This, now this was an incredible film. Like a Tex Avery cartoon come to life. A 1940's era throwback involving gangsters and kung fu, with a liberal dose of humor. It is so masterfully put together, you cannot help but be sucked in. ****
- Look At Me. French relationship comedy only has middling success. It is sweet and relatively light hearted, but there are a few too many relationships to keep focus and a little too slow to hold interest. There is something to like here, but not enough to recommend. **.5
- Millions. Danny Boyle's family film is wonderful. A great film that hits all the right marks. Giving us the tale of a child who has visions of saints and always wants to do what is right, while confronting the world at large. Very good film. ***.5
- Off the Map. An interesting tale about a family that is reaching a crossroads, instigated by the arrival of an IRS agent who is there to audit them. It features some fine performances, especially from Joan Allen who plays the matriarch. It is good, but does not always feel genuine. **.5
- Oldboy. From Korean director Chan Wook Park comes this brutal tale of revenge. It is such a twisted take on a character study that it has to be seen to be believed. It is not for faint of heart, but comes highly recommended. ****
- Sahara. An enjoyable romp. I expected something akin to National Treasure (which I didn't care for), the actual result was more entertaining. It was not all that smart, but it was an enjoyable adventurous romp. **.5
- Sin City. Hands down the best film I went to this month, and the best film I've seen this year. Robert Rodriguez has given us a film which is unlike anything to be seen on the big screen for a long time. Simultaneously mining film history while looking to the future of the medium. Simply incredible. ****
That's it for the April, stay tuned, I plan on visiting the past months as well.
Also at Blogcritics.org.
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