I was looking forward to “Paparazzi”, I really was, I mean Cole Hauser is a cool mofo, and I was glad that he’d finally been given a vehicle of his own for once. But when I was done, I was disappointed, and pretty damn pissed that this was such a piece of crap. I mean, how can anyone with half a brain buy in to this nonsense? Mel Gibson’s Hairstylist directs this faux-actioner that serves up more of a message, but to whom? What’s the message here? From its mere facade of a crappy actioner, it also attempts to become a nonsensical message about poor celebrities, and from its dumb plot it attempts to pass of commentary, problem is it isn’t smart enough to pull off that sort of commentary, especially commentary no really intelligent person gives a shit about.
Tag Archives: Drama
Whale Rider (2002)
This is what a children’s film should be, uplifting, encouraging, and a beautiful film about family and empowerment. This is what children’s films should be like. True realistic portraits with engaging characters and an uplifting message. The film has themes children will connect with such as seeking approval from parents, attempting to prove yourself as an adult, being raised and pressured to carry on their traditions, living up to your sibling, and basically journeying to come of age, while we can relate to the characters here. The characters are human, not broadly sketched, and each are so utterly esoteric and revealing beneath their layers and personalities that we anxiously watch to see what will become of Director Caro’s vision that, even adults may find themselves engrossed.
Finding Neverland (2004)
I love the story of Peter Pan, I love the legend and myth, I love the allegory Peter Pan represents, and I love the peanut butter. Peter Pan was always my favorite story as a child simply because it was a young boy who could fly and fight, fighting a man twice his size who had a hook for a hand, it was great! But on the other hand, Pan was a deeper symbol for childhood and having to grow up and let go of childish things.
King Arthur (2004)
I’m a fantasy nut. You couldn’t really tell but I am a real fantasy nut and am especially fond of the King Arthur legend. Whether or not King Arthur did or did not exist, it’s obvious that the fantasy of his legend never happened, but it is a lot of fun to think so and it’s a lot of fun to study and learn about the Excalibur, the lady in the lake, or the sword in the stone (which ever happened first), and the wizard Merlin cast spells to aid his king in battle or whatnot. Director Antoine Fuqua score yet again with an entertaining and beautiful looking epic that will basically entertain audiences with a riveting action adventure. The film, which is mostly appealing for its production values, really does manage to make for an engrossing two hours that will really involve the audience in what it has to offer. Fuqua creates a very grim and stylish mood that fits what the concept is attempting to accomplish very well.
Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
While “The Prisoner of Azkaban” was a critical success, I’ve discovered a lot of the hardcore fans disliked this movie a great deal. As for the financial success it’s pretty much a no-brainer; these films are made because there’s automatically a built-in audience, but as far as critical success, critics loved the work done by Alfonso Cuaron, and I’m one of them. While it may be true I’ve never read the book, I prefer looking at it from a perspective of an outsider and this is the best installment of the franchise so far. I liked the first film, was on the fence for the less than exciting sequel, but this happens to be the best I’ve seen for this so far. As for the “Harry Potter” franchise, I’ve never clicked with this or its less than–how shall I say–sane fans, but this is a great cinematic marvel.
Arc (2004)
It’s movies like these that still make me hopeful that are still at least some good filmmakers out there, and Steve Gelder has a lot of potential to become one of the best, if only Hollywood could pull their heads out their ass. “Arc” for what was obviously filmed on a low budget has a lot of fine production qualities that manages to enhance a fine production. What “Arc” essentially becomes is a truly bittersweet but inspiring slice of life which Gelder really achieves. Mind you, I’m always weary about independents because they’ll either make my job a lot harder, or a lot easier.
American Gun (2002)
“American Gun” is two things. First, it’s a fascinating examination of how one event in your life, one simple mistake can change the course of events and alter your life forever. Second, it’s a fitting send-off to one of America’s great actors. James Coburn, the great James Coburn plays Martin Tillman, a retired man whose family is falling apart. The woman he fell in love with is all but a stranger to him, his daughter Penny is living with them to get away from her life, and her daughter has just run away. Martin is a good man, a man who is doing everything to keep his family together. Weekly he meets with his grand daughter secretly, sneaking her money and conversing with her as she confides with him, he attempts to communicate with his almost non-communicative wife, and he keeps Penny together, but one night she’s killed by the bullet of a gun, and the family shatters further.