Short Review: There are these two guys and they’re friends. They both love the same girl. This starts a flummoxing love triangle as they struggle to overcome their own selfish needs and expectations…oh yeah, that and then there’s this part where the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. Anyway, so the girl loves the first boy…


After seeing this film, I believe it's fair to say the men and women at Pearl Harbor have been attacked twice.

This is akin to making a film about The Batan Death March and placing the focus of the story on the relationship between a boy and his dog.

The film is a complete horror. The love story at the center of this grand insult is lifeless. Perhaps this is due to the limp script being played out by three of our less charismatic and talented actors: Benny Affleck, Josh “I look like Tommy Lee Jones’ kid” Hartnett and Kate Beckinsale. Maybe I’m nuts but I’m of the opinion that if you’re going to produce a film on one of the most important events in American History, you should go with your A-Team. What’s with the junior varsity players getting a shot at this?

The only serious member of the cast and crew is screenwriter Randall Wallace and this is so bad, I can’t believe he wrote it. Wallace is a national treasure as far as I’m concerned. But to look at the juvenile handling of this movie I’m shocked he’s allowed his name to remain in the credits.

Film is important. It informs people about the world we live in and in cases such as this, it teaches people about history. That is one of the purposes of this production in the first place. This should have been a reflection on that dreadful day and its implications in history. Instead we a mash of music video, action movie and just plain crappy film making. On top of all of that, the film has the nerve to make the fascist FDR look like a hero. He was a corrupt and vile man, to make him look like a strong, honorable man is disgusting.

Revisionist history is bad enough. Do we have to make history itself suck too?


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Labels: Alec Baldwin, Ben Affleck. Josh Hartnett, Cuba Gooding Jr, Dan Aykroyd, film, Jennifer Garner, Jon Voight, Kate Beckinsale, Michael Bay, movie review, Randall Wallace, Tom Sizemore, William Finchner

There's a thin line between being a cop and being a criminal - yeah, yeah, yeah, got it, heard it before. The whole production has a derivative vibe that it never shakes. The film kept reminding me of We Own the Night for some reason. It could be because of how the film was shot. It could be because its yet another East Coast cop drama. Could be because they both are dank, poorly written messes.

The film tells the tale of a police family that hits rough times when Ray Tierney (Edward Norton) uncovers a corruption scandal that fingers his brother-in-law Jimmy (Colin Farrell). This is a pretty good plot hook but the resulting script penned by Gavin O'Connor and Joe Carnahan never finds its footing. The piece is structured well but there's nothing unique, there's no dramatic draw. It is not too much to ask that a piece of drama should pull the audience into the story.

There are better cop dramas out there. I advise finding them.


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Labels: Colin Farrell, cops, Edward Norton, film, Jon Voight, movie review

A nearly unwatchable follow up to the less than impressive original National Treasure. This film suffers from not having a real purpose for being made. The original film ended on a conclusive note. Reviving the characters for another adventure seems unnecessary other than for the hopes of making a few more bucks. The original was irrational enough, this outing involving the secrets of John Wilkes Booth's diary that shows the hero, historian Ben Gates' (Nicholas Cage) great grandfather was a co-conspirator in Abraham Lincoln's assassination. The plot then weaves a path utilizing historical references, treasures and locations at every turn.

Ultimately this is a hollow movie with a bunch of plot contrivances and historical pseudo-facts thrown in to make it look like there's something going on.


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Labels: film, Helen Mirren, Jon Voight, movie review, Nicholas Cage, sequel

Following 9/11 there has been some in the industry who were woken up from their liberal stupor. These 9/11 conservatives may still believe in the false promises of a welfare state but at least they understand the evil that confronts us. They also see the wonder that is America, and that it is a beautiful place that deserves protection rather than derision. Jon Voight, Dennis Hopper, James Woods, Ron Silver among others have changed their politics as of late and have joined the ranks of conservative/libertarian/Republican Hollywood names like Bruce Willis, Adam Sandler, Jessica Simpson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mel Gibson and others. The growing conservative movement in Hollywood has slowly been gaining ground. Now there's the first wide release film to promote this movement.

David Zucker (Airplane!, The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad) isn't known for making Shakespeare, he's known for creating simple comedies littered with cheap laughs. This film is just that, a collection of cheap laughs. The jokes, however, are pointed at the left. Michael Malone (Kevin Farley) a caricature of Michael Moore seeks to abolish July 4th and is then visited by the ghosts of Patton, George Washington and the Angel of Death who turn him around and make him into an American loving guy. The premise is good, the delivery is uneven.

Now, I'm a conservative but I'm also a film geek. I went into this wanting to like it because, to be honest, I enjoy mocking liberals - they're wrong and should be ridiculed. I also knew that it was likely this was going to be devoid of humor. What I got was something lukewarm. For conservatives, there is plenty of red meat. The movie goes after many liberal institutions with various degrees of success, the joke on the ACLU is particularly humorous. There are also moments of poignant commentary regarding the return McCarthy Era blacklist (tying it to how political conservatives are treated), and the fact that "important" directors make movies crapping on Christians and Americans but intentionally avoid criticizing Muslims out of naked fear of being killed for their efforts.

For film geeks, there's less to love. The script is not well structured despite being based on Dickens' classic story. There is a lack of focus in a number of areas and many of the scenes begin with a strong set up but fail to develop into a cohesive piece. Often the scenes toss out some humorous gags and then stumble to a close. The disjointed, bumpy structure makes this a difficult movie to get into. While there are some moments of genuine humor to be found it's an unfortunately rough ride getting to them. Unlike The Naked Gun films or Airplane!, the jokes aren't a mile a minute. In many respects, this is like watching those movies with many of the jokes removed. This leads to scenes that are left wanting for gags. There is space for the gags, but the scenes are left empty.

The casting of Kevin Farley as Malone is inspired and he shows comedic talent. He does a solid job of carrying the broken narrative and holds his own next to a number of very experienced, and well-known actors. Much of the cast does well in their roles including Kelsey Grammar as George Patton and Jon Voight Washington. The actors do their best with the material they're given which is to their credit.

Overall, this is not a great film. It will please, but not inspire, conservatives desperate for customized entertainment. It will not do much for the unconverted. Liberals should just avoid it altogether. All it will do is frustrate you just like when conservatives urge you to support your beliefs with reason and not your precious feelings.


Cautions: This is farce so it's not for small children. Zucker avoids many of the sexual jokes that populates many of the other films he's been a part of, but keeps the cleavage gags. In addition, the language is rather tame but there is some swearing.




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Labels: David Zucker, film, James Woods, Jon Voight, Kelsey Grammar, Kevin Farley, movie review, politics

I don't get a good vibe off this one. I like the premise enough and mocking the flagrant stupidity of leftists is rich ground. I watch this and the presence of Bill O'Reilly and Trace Adkins - are you kidding me? I can only hope the image of Adkins on stage is only a brief, VERY BRIEF, moment in the film and they don't have the poor judgment to force that horrible music on the audience. If done right, this simply shows the leftist's arguments against America for what they are - childish hysterics from a bunch of spoiled malconents. If done wrong, this will be a series of propped up gags that are just as blunt as the leftist arguments they're attempting to mock. It sure seems like its the latter of the two.

The Naked Gun series worked (at least the first two films) because they had firm and traditional story strucutures and the jokes were laced into the story afterward. Frank Drebin's quest to find the men who shot Nordberg was actually a good piece of structure. This outing looks more like the Jason Friedberg/Aaron Seltzer school of comedy (Epic Movie, Disaster Movie, Scary Movie, etc.) where humor is replaced by disposiable gags. No strucuture and not funny.






Screenwriter: David Zucker (Top Secret!), Lewis Friedkin (BASEketball) and Myrna Sokoloff
Director: David Zucker (Ruthless People)
Actors: Kevin P. Farley, Kelsey Grammar (Swing Vote), Jon Voight (National Treasure), Robert Davi (The Hot Chick), Trace Adkins, James Woods (Be Cool), Dennis Hopper (Swing Vote), Leslie Nielsen (The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear) and Kevin Sorbo (Meet the Spartans)

Labels: Dennis Hopper, James Woods, Jon Voight, Kelsey Grammar, politics, Zucker Brothers

I see two problems with this film by seeing this trailer:

1. Following multiple cop killings there's an internal investigation. Who do they bring in? The brother-in-law of the guy that was leading the men who died. "Hey, you have an inherent conflict of interest and possibly emotionally involved in the results, come on, I want you in my task force."

3. Colin Farrell transitory accent. He has tried pulling off a American accent before (see Phonebooth) and its as stable as a wicker chair at a fat camp.

On top of all of this, the whole premise feels reminiscent of about a dozen other movies and television shows.





Screenwriter: Gavin O'Connor and Joe Carnahan (Smokin' Aces)
Director: Gavin O'Connor
Actors: Colin Farrell (In Bruges), Edward Norton (Fight Club), Jon Voight (Anaconda) and Jennifer Ehle (Sunshine)

Labels: Colin Farrell, Edward Norton, film, Jon Voight, movie trailer

The piece certainly isn't breaking new ground. How many films can we have about civil rights "firsts"? Well a dozen or so as it turns out. This plays the typical formula: blacks get their first shot at something because a white guy sticks his neck out. Like most of films of this nature, it seems to be more about how heroic the white guy is, rather than about the blacks defeating bigotry. If you can swallow the pill this film offers it is a well structured piece that does entertain. You will get the feeling you've seen this before however.


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Labels: basketball, film, Jon Voight, Josh Lucas, movie review, sports movie

Short Review: We’ll need to open a self-help section in the video stores to house this DVD.


Based on the successful novel by Mitch Albom, this film has some big shoes to fill. Albom's works may be smarter and a bit wiser, but they pull from the same sentimental well that Oprah has been guzzling from for years. This piece isn't much different. There's a mind at work here, and there are some kernels of wisdom to be found, but they are covered with a sticky saccharine coating.

This made-for-television movie does do a great job bringing the original piece to life. Like any adaptation the movie suffers from being a derivative work. In most instances, adaptations tend to be dim replications of the original source work. This is somewhat the case here. Taking the film on its own, it is rather well done. It's not a brilliant piece but it is effective.

The story follows Eddie (Jon Voight), a maintenance man who is lingering between Earth and Heaven. He meanders the fringes of the afterlife and confronts the life he has led. Voight is well cast here and provides a respectable yet broken man. Voight is comfortable in his role and brings a common man charisma to Eddie. Supported by solid performances by Dagmara Dominczyk (Kinsey), Jeff Daniels (Dumb & Dumber), and Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos), Voight provides an enjoyable and moving performance.

The content of the story, while interesting is certainly is suspect in some areas. Although it deals exclusively with the afterlife, this is hardly a Biblical film and the characters are anything but religious. The script is careful to toe the politically correct line and offend no one with anything that may smack of religious flavor. God and Heaven are gingerly referred to but not delved to with any depth. This keeps the piece from attaining a grander scale of thought. It reminds me of when, during the Christmas season, people insist on saying Happy Holidays no matter what. I'm in the store buying wrapping paper and ornaments for a Christmas tree, the cashier has a cross around her neck and she has to say "Happy Holidays" instead of referring to Christmas directly. Sure, its a small deal but we're ignoring the truth of the matter. This film suffers from the same kind of problem. It wants to talk about the afterlife but it doesn't want to be hindered by any theology. Granted, this isn't a Biblical movie, it's a self-help movie. It doesn't intend to speak about the greater things it intends to provide some hot-air that has whiffs of wisdom thrown in.

While it fails to achieve to reach anything larger, this is still an enjoyable and relatively harmless movie. There are some nice, cozy statements about handing regret and forgiveness and no one will be offended. If you're looking for stronger statements about the afterlife and managing one's time here on Earth, there's a better book on the subject I can recommend.


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Labels: adaptation, film, Jeff Daniels, Jon Voight, movie review