On a lark, and to avoid the crowds, a friend and I went to the 6am showing at the Seattle Center IMAX. What were we thinking. There were twenty people there. The movie was good. I like my sleep though.
8 May 2009 • 8:04 am 1
Star Trek (4/5)
5 May 2009 • 1:57 pm 0
Traitor (4/5)
7 Apr 2009 • 6:53 pm 1
Merry Christmas (4/5)
4 Apr 2009 • 1:12 pm 1
No Country For Old Men (4/5)
There is no score for this film, which makes me wonder if music is used as a crutch more often than not–a cheap and quick way to make a scene emotionally deep or haunting. As a musician I certainly prefer to have the visual experience augmented by sounds and chords, but when filmmakers can draw me in without it I am certainly impressed. The Coen Brothers make filmmaking look easy–as nearly all other directors prove, it certainly is not.
31 Mar 2009 • 7:18 am 6
Michael Clayton (4/5)
The opening scene is brilliantly executed, the end credits as well. Making the villain an actual person who sweats and faints also made for interesting cinema. I will have to see “Duplicity” against the advice of two favorite critics to see if this writer/director got lucky here; I hope not, I do fancy the writer/director species.
29 Mar 2009 • 1:54 pm 0
Dead Calm (4/5)
Usually a thriller is only as good as its hero is foolish–to the extent your lead makes idiotic choices to empower the bad guy, the more you’re cringing or yelling at the screen. Not so in “Dead Calm”, a compelling ride that pits wits against madness. Kidman’s character is a refreshingly resourceful and fearless hostage at sea with a boyishly sinister Billy Zane. I feel compelled to list the extraordinary things that Kidman’s character was capable of, but I will look like a chauvinist prig–ok fine, she knows how to use a gun and steer a sailboat. I am well aware of the latent misogyny I bring to films; really, I’m trying my best to grow up and respect women, but after engrossing myself in decades of male-centered film it is no surprise I have a warped view of the fairer gender. (That comment about the “Twilight” director was sarcasm, for the record.) We would all certainly be better served with a diverse crop of folks taking the director’s chair and in turn, seeking out the creations of those on the fringes.
26 Mar 2009 • 1:51 pm 2
Fallen (4/5)
Some tremendous old fashioned touches made this a better than good film–the highlighted sentence in the letter, choice canted camera work, classic score and pace. The “spirit” camera was the most modern bit and did a disservice to the film aesthetic and feel. A lovely and surprising theological overtone, which crested in a convincing conversation on the point of life between Washington and Goodman, all in the dark hovel of their detective office. This film was part two in my double feature, following the tragically crap “Iron Mask“, and I must say the music here was near perfect: haunting, sparse, occasionally quick. And, never could have guessed where this film ended.
10 Mar 2009 • 11:59 am 0
Changeling (4/5)
Eastwood again attempts to score his own film with blandly caustic results (I did not know such paradox was possible). I cast the box office failure of the film on a peculiar albeit very appropriate title, overwhelmingly depressing content, and a flabby poster of Jolie apparently in monk’s garb. Still, the brief moments of justice and unwavering hope of the lead are all fist-in-the-air good.
3 Mar 2009 • 12:55 pm 0
One Hour Photo (4/5)
24 Feb 2009 • 1:10 pm 0
Sunshine (4/5)
A stunning swathe of set pieces and a favorite score (much of it by the lads in Underworld), coupled with a decent storyline and capable cast. The reveal and payoff in the last reel, while superbly shot, are a bit predictable and leave me wanting Alien. And call me American, but instead of burning the last two astronauts to death how about a safe return to Earth and eighteen months of copious spacesex. I smell a sequel Danny boy: Sunshine 2 (NC-17).
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