Labels: Claudia Karvan, Ethan Hawke, film, Michael Dorman, movie review, Sam Neill, vampires, Willem Dafoe

Screenwriter: Michael C. Martin
Director: Antoine Fuqua (The Replacement Killers)
Actors: Richard Gere (The Hoax), Don Cheadle (Iron Man 2), Ethan Hawke (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead), Vincent D'Onofrio (The Cell), Wesley Snipes (Demolition Man), Will Patton (The Rapture), Lili Taylor (Household Saints), Ellen Barkin (Drop Dead Gorgeous) and Brian F. O'Byrne (Bug)





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Labels: Don Cheadle, Ellen Barkin, Ethan Hawke, film, Lili Taylor, movie trailer, Richard Gere, Vincent D'Onofrio, Wesley Snipes, Will Patton

Screenwriter: Michael C. Martin
Director: Antoine Fuqua (Tears of the Sun)
Actors: Richard Gere (The Hoax), Wesley Snipes (Blade), Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda), Ethan Hawke (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead), Ellen Barkin (The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension), Vincent D'Onofrio (The Cell), Will Patton (Aliens), Lili Taylor (Household Saints) and Jesse Williams

Labels: Don Cheadle, Ellen Barkin, Ethan Hawke, film, Jesse Williams, Lili Taylor, movie trailer, Richard Gere, Vincent D'Onofrio, Wesley Snipes, Will Patton

A bunch of people crash land in the Andes Mountains. The food runs out so they are forced to eat the dead. That's it. The movie is remarkably boring. Once you get past that whole cannibal thing you still need to have proper characterization and a plot to keep things interesting. Director Frank Marshall (Arachnophobia) pulls too much on human misery to keep things lively instead of human interaction.


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Labels: Ethan Hawke, film, movie review

Short Review: It’s a little like Lean on Me but with WASPs.


To quote my Geddy Lee Lovin’ Brother-in-Law, “I like that Robin Williams movie, y’know, the one where he plays the enlightened funny man.”

Robin Williams, like cancer screenings, is not a funny thing to behold. With a resume that is impossible to read aloud without groaning insistently, Williams has remarkably little to offer for all of his years of service almost entertaining the public. This film may be the best one of his career. This is primarily because the film does a wonderful job working around Williams’ penchant for upstaging his own material.

This is not a great film, but it is a pleasant watch. It is very manipulative, pushy and it makes absolutely no sense when its logic is pressed even slightly. Despite its flaws its message that life is fleeting, use your time wisely and live life to the fullest, is delivered in a comfy package. John Keating (Williams) is an enlightened funny man…er, English teacher who offers inspiring classes to the sons of the rich and powerful. Keating uplifts the boys even though the rigid, social order of the school intends to squelch the life of out them. Even though screenwriter Tom Schulmans’ (8 Heads in a Duffel Bag) script is often more coercive than a presidential election ad, there are moments of note that make this worth viewing at least once.


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Labels: Ethan Hawke, film, movie review, Robert Sean Leonard, Robin Williams

Screenwriters: Brian Goodman, Paul T. Murray and Donnie Wahlberg
Director: Brian Goodman
Actors: Ethan Hawke (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead), Donnie Wahlberg (Saw III), Mark Ruffalo (13 Going on 30), Amanda Peet (The Whole Nine Yards) and Brian Goodman (Annapolis)

Labels: Amanda Peet, Donnie Wahlberg, Ethan Hawke, film, Mark Ruffalo, movie trailer

This is so well done that I still recommend this movie despite the fact that you see Philip Seymour Hoffman's bubble-gum butt. Right there in the opening scene, flabby Phil completely naked having sex with an equally naked Marisa Tomei. The "ewww" factor is off the scales. The thing is that not only is this scene disturbing to the core, it is also completely unneeded. There is no reason it needed to be shot the way it was. The same concepts could have been projected without having to show Phil's stretch marks.

Director Sidney Lumet (Network, Dog Day Afternoon, The Verdict, Fail-Safe) masterfully commands this film about a pair of brothers who have their lives ruined after they fatally screw up robbing their parent's jewelry store. He gives us an intimate film with little intrusion, just pure character and performance. Lumet dips into a distracting editing sequence to indicate flashbacks and time shifts. These jolts break in and unfortunately remind us we're watching fiction. Other than this awkward choice, Lumet is dead-on with his delivery and provides one of the most engrossing movies of his career.

I am pressed to think of any recent film that manages such a collection of strong performances. Ethan Hawke, who I've never considered to be a strong talent shows his skills in his role as Hank Hanson, a nervous loser who owes money all over the place and doesn't have the means to make it up legally. Hawke has lost his boyish looks and his face is getting ragged with age. He looks perfect for this role, thin, pale and tired. His performance is a sympathetic one but he doesn't make Hank an endearing man. He's just a pathetic lost cause. Hawke nails the man's desperation and fear. Hank is a man-boy who obviously has spent his life trembling in the shadow of his overbearing brother Andy (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Hoffman brings yet another memorable performance to the screen as the alpha dog Andy but in their scenes, it is Hawke who surprisingly shines as Hank melts under the pressure from his big brother. Albert Finney likewise gives a heart aching turn as Charles, the father of Andy and Hank, and the victim of their awful crime. As Charles slowly pieces together the plot against him, the tension builds. Finney is understated and so real in this role. Hawke, Finney and Hoffman mix together perfectly and Lumet does the right thing, he steps back and let's the three do their work.

This is the debut screenplay by playwright Kelly Masterson. This may be the most impressive screenwriting debut in years. Forget about Diablo Cody, she writes cute stuff and is easy to serve to the press. Masterson is the real deal. Someone who can pen characters with this much verisimilitude is someone to watch and watch closely. There is a scene between Charles and Andy where the two men, father and son, get to the core of their relationship. It is a small scene and it is low key, but Masterson packs it with an stunning amount of emotion without falling into dramatics.

This is not a film for everyone. It is one of the best crime dramas I've ever seen but it is loaded with low behavior. Those who are wary of violence, cursing, scenes with drug use, nudity and frank sexuality will find plenty to avoid here. Lumet and company pull no punches and everything is laid out to be seen. If you're sensitive to questionable content, this is just not your film. If you are okay with seeing some rough stuff, and you enjoy literate films this is one you should put to the top of your list.


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Labels: Albert Finney, Ethan Hawke, film, Marisa Tomei, movie review, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Sidney Lumet

Science Fiction like it should be. Although flawed in its pacing, this movie overall delivers the goods. What is wonderful about this film is that its science fiction without having to pulls out aliens or laser guns or other silly distractions. This is a solid social commentary with an interesting look at genetic determinism and eugenics. A fresh and novel film made with oblivious care. This is a good pick for those times when you need a back up pick.


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Labels: Ethan Hawke, film, Gore Vidal, Jude Law, movie review, science fiction, Uma Thurman