Movie Poster 1951

I liked Keanu Reeves interpretation of Klaatu. This is an update, and updates invite comparisons. I liked it overall, however I did not like the part of the Kid. He was the Brat From Hell. Jaden Smith, Son of Will Smith Plays the kid. He plays the part so well you keep wishing Jennifer Connelly would give him a swat across the rear. Jennifer Connelly was excellent. This movie is cerebral just as the original. Not a lot of flash or whiz bangs, but enough to keep it interesting. I rented it in Blue Ray, which also makes it a bit more interesting. I recommend it.

ANNA PAQUIN

Set in a rural, swampy Louisiana parish, the show centers around Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) and her clan, Season 2 is more Sexier, the story-line is more muscular, and new and mysterious characters have joined the clan. Also they are beginning to get into back stories of some of the vampires and how they were created. Season 2 takes the story into the state of Texas. Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) finds himself in a very bad situation, but Sookie comes to the rescue. Each episode leaves you wondering what the heck is going to happen next. Season 2 takes you more and more to the Dark Side. Anna Paquin, the award winning lead actor gives another superior performance in each and every episode. Season 1 was great, Season 2 is fantastic. Well worth renting, I highly recommend it.  During the second season, the influence of Maryann Forrester and the conflict between vampires and humans is expanded. Most of the cast from the first season returns and several new main characters are introduced. The same style of interconnected story telling used in the first season is repeated, with the foremost plot focusing on Maryann Forrester being revealed as a maenad.  While Maryann begins establishing her hold on Bon Temps, Sookie is recruited by Eric to investigate the disappearance of his 2000 year old maker and the sheriff of Area 9 in Texas: Godric (Allan Hyde).While Sookie is absent from Bon Temps, Sam hires Daphne Landry (Ashley Jones) to join the Merlotte’s staff. Daphne begins a romance with Sam, is revealed to be a shapeshifter, and then later also exposed as working for Maryann. Jason also leaves Bon Temps for Dallas to join the Fellowship of the Sun, which Reverend Newlin has steered in a new militant direction despite the protestation of his wife Sarah (Anna Camp). It’s discovered that Godric is in the custody of the Fellowship,and one of Godric’s lieutenants, Isabel (Valerie Cruz), sends her human boyfriend Hugo (Christopher Gartin)to assist Sookie in infiltrating the church. Though Eric’s primary interest in Dallas is finding Godric, he also attempts to place himself between Sookie and Bill. To accomplish this, he enlists the aid of Bill’s maker Lorena (Mariana Klaveno); making a more prominent contribution to the cast after a brief introduction in the first season. In the penultimate episode of the second season, once the conflict in Texas is concluded, the vampire queen of Louisiana Sophie-Anne (Evan Rachel Wood) is introduced. Both Bill and Eric visit her in an attempt to find out how to defeat Maryann.

Anna Paquin

Anna Paquin & her Beau Vampire Bill

Liza W/ a Z

Cabaret, which is set in Berlin in the early thirties, brilliantly depicts both the decadence of the period and the rise of “The Nazi State” from ridiculed fringe group to ruling party. As many others have noted, Cabaret hardly seems like a musical, because all of the songs save one take place in the Kit Kat Klub. The performances of Liza Minelli and Joel Grey are remarkable. Indeed, Minelli’s rendition of the title song has become a classic. However, it is the one song that occurs elsewhere that is the most memorable. This song, “The Future Belongs to Me,” occurs outside in a beer garden on a sunny afternoon and is sung by an angelic-looking young Nazi with a sweet tenor voice. One by one the beer garden patrons arise and chillingly join in the singing, as the words and music change from gently lyrical to scary militaristic. As the principal characters are departing, the Baron’s shrug of the shoulders when asked, “Do you still think that you can control them” speaks volumes, especially in view of the horrors that would soon engulf millions. Most accounts of the rise of “The Nazi State” focus on intellectual matters, such as the repressive Treaty of Versailles or the world-wide depression of the thirties, but the beer garden scene in Cabaret captures, better than any book or movie that I am familiar with, the emotional effect that “The Nazi State” must have had on the Germans of the time. After all, when Germany was at one of the lowest ebbs in its history, a group suddenly appeared on the scene carrying a message of German superiority. The future did indeed belong to them, but thankfully the “future” only lasted for a few years.

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THE HUNGER

The Hunger opens with Catherine Deneuve and David Bowie Picking up a very hot looking couple at a club, driving them out to a place in the burbs and having their way with them. Doing to them what vampires do to folks, drink their blood of course. David Bowie is a companion vampire to Catherine, David begins to wither and he does it very quickly and so Catherine must get a new companion. Enter Susan Sarandon Catherine’s next victim, or is she. In this film, genetic material (similar to a virus or prion) is passed from true vampires (a different species) to create temporary vampires (a few centuries or so) from humans. The human vampires act as companions until they eventually wither. Unfortunately for the human vampires, they never die (unless burned) and remain in a conscious, desiccated state (a form of living hell). The lineage of the true vampires begins in ancient times, passes through the Egyptian dynasties, and into the present. This film is heavy on atmosphere. The flirting and seduction scene between Catherine and Susan is smoldering. And there are lesbian sex scenes between Catherine Deneuve and Susan Sarandon that is as hot as anything ever filmed, in my humble opinion. The beauty of Catherine and Susan together is absolutely breathtaking. A film that is not easy to forget, nor should it be. I give “THE HUNGER” 5*****Stars.

CHASING AMY

I have a “love-hate” relationship with Romantic Comedies. I really enjoy a decent one – and a couple of examples I’d consider “decent” are “While You Were Sleeping” and “When Harry Met Sally”. I also recognize that there is probably no other movie genre that is as suitable for “date night”: It’s where men and women’s interests overlap.

Bad Romantic Comedies can be really tedious things, and many of my pet peeves about movies come from this genre. For example, my LEAST favorite romantic comedy cliche is the moment 10 minutes before the end of the movie where our loving couple has THE “big fight” (often over nothing or something completely stupid or forgettable), followed by one of the characters tearing off to the airport just so that the OTHER partner will have the sudden revelation that they’ve *made a big mistake* and go tearing off for the airport as well – usually arriving only moments late. (With an equally cliche-filled smooching reunion that follows minutes later, before the end credits roll.)

But I digress. NONE of these horrid cliche’s fill this movie, which is full of almost believable characters and completely believable heartache.

Kevin Smith has now created a half-dozen films, and while I would classify all of them somewhere between “watchable” and “excellent”, “Chasing Amy” remains his masterpiece to date.

Holden (Ben Affleck) and Banky (Jason Lee) are 30ish buds-since-High-School who have grown into the guy fantasy job of writing a hit comic book. They get to alternate working on “Bluntman and Chronic” with making personal appearances at fan conventions where they get paid to sign autographs.

At one of these conventions they hook up with another “graphic novelist”, Dwight Ewell’s Hooper X – who is constantly educating Holden and Banky about being black and being gay. Ewell steals all of his scenes because Hooper is a perfect mix of bravado and angst which sufficiently masks his inner conflict for being black and gay.

Hooper introduces our heroes to Alyssa Jones, portrayed in a career-making performance by Joey Lauren Adams. Alyssa is cute, funny, talented, witty and Affleck’s Holden falls for her in a big way. He interrupts his usual routine with Banky just to meet up with Alyssa before finding out at the end of the first act that Alyssa is a lesbian.

A moment to discuss the language, themes and realism of the movie. Like the Kevin Smith films that preceded it, Chasing Amy uses language that is frank and honest and uses raw street vernacular to describe many things, in particular sex. I have heard many criticisms about the story contained in Chasing Amy. Joey Lauren Adams doesn’t fit lesbian stereotypes, and among those who seem to know, it is ridiculous to consider that a lesbian might be interested in a man – even if (perhaps especially if) the man is Ben Affleck. These things must be accepted to follow the movie. Smith makes it easy. In truth, the language and the issue of homosexuality are side issues in what is essentially a truly unique Romantic Comedy.

Like Smith’s first feature “Clerks” the central conflict in “Amy” concerns one character’s difficulties accepting the “history” of the other romantic interest. To say more would spoil the pleasure you would derive from enjoying the flick yourself, but it has to be stated that Smith’s resolution involves heartbreak, plenty of humor, no cliches and no airports.

If you think you might enjoy an honest romantic comedy that includes street language, frank discussions about sex and gay characters, “Chasing Amy” fills the bill exactly.

REVIEWER: MARK J FOWLER..AMAZON.COM

JEFFREY WRIGHT

Set in 1980s New York and subtitled “A Gay Fantasia on National Themes,” the six-hour ANGELS IN America concerns a group of largely gay men who find themselves caught up in series of disasters that range from love to religion and from politics to philosophy–and most specifically caught between the rising tide of AIDS and a generally unsympathetic society.

In the midst of this, AIDS patient Prior Walter begins to have a series of visions, which may be fever dreams, medicine-induced hallucinations… or, most unnerving of all, real. His long dead ancestors rise to speak to him, the floor cracks open to reveal a burning book–and at the conclusion of the play’s first half a beautiful woman with majestic wings crashes through his roof. She is the Angel of America. He is, she tells him, a prophet, and she has come to bring him a message for mankind.

Intertwined with Prior’s other-earthly experiences are oddly parallel lives. Joe and Harper Pitt are a deeply dysfunctional couple doubting their faith in the Mormon Church, Joe a closeted homosexual, Harper a Valium-addicted and mildly psychotic woman given to visions as strange as those of Prior Walter’s. And as further counterpoint historical figure Roy Cohn (1927-1986), among the most sinister figures of 20th Century America, finds himself taunted by the ghost of Ethel Rosenberg as he drifts toward his own AIDS-induced death. The characters swirl in and out of each other’s lives and dreams, playing to stereotypes and yet defying them, arguing politics and philosophy and love and death–and it is fascinating stuff.

Although the play stunned 1990s audiences, most considered it utterly unfilmable due to both length and content. But this HBO-produced, Mike Nichols-directed version not only captures the power of the original, in some ways it improves upon it. Playwright Tony Kushner has adapted his work to the screen, rearranging certain problematic scenes and bits of dialogue to better effect, and certainly no one could argue with the cast, which is absolutely stunning in a series of multiple roles.

With a mad swirl of irony, intense drama, outrageous humor, and unexpected twists and turns, ANGELS IN America is almost sure to hold your attention–particularly if you recall the Ronald Reagan years well enough to recognize the truly bitter allegory the film offers on what many consider his largely absentee second term. Truly a must have, multi-layered, bearing repeated viewings, beautifully directed, performed, and filmed.

28 DAYS LATER - POSTER

Hailed as the most frightening film since The Omen, acclaimed Director Danny Boyle’s vision on zombie horror isn’t just scary…it’s absolutely terrifying. The reason why these zombies are so terrifying is that they can run you down, these are not slow moving plodding zombies you can avoid just by quick walking. If these zombies get down behind you, you had better have your track shoes on. The lead characters Jim and Selena played by Cilian Murphy and Naomi Harris turn in top notch solid performances, they make you care as to whether they survive. Jim and Selena meet up with two other characters Frank, and his daughter Hannah, played by Brendon Gleeson and Megan Burns. The four of them together take off out of London and search a safe place to live and get away from the blood thirsty zombies prowling the streets. If you are bitten or just one drop of blood from one of the infected gets into your system, you will then be infected with “RAGE”. And these are robust, hard charging zombies, they break into apartments, crash in through windows and chase you down in the streets. These are some very scary zombies indeed. Jim and Selena and Hannah survive a horrendous experience when they contact some surviving soldiers hold up in a mansion. Poor Frank becomes infected and is killed along the way. The soldiers want to kill Jim and take the females, Selena and Hannah for their own pleasure. So now after having to get away from zombies they now have to get away from the lust filled drooling soldiers. But not to worry, our heroes wax-off the soldiers and carry on in their search for safety. Selena played by Naomi Harris is a lady with a machete. This is one lady that you don’t want to mess with. Yes, she will hack you into little pieces. The zombies didn’t stand a chance with Selena. After the movie was over, all I could say was “You Go Girl”. I give this movie 5*****Stars.

Ernie Dingo & Cate Blanchett

Burned Bridge is a brave and confronting 13-part series about the mysterious death of an Aboriginal girl in (Brooklyn Waters) a small coastal town. Burned Bridge is a love story involving two people convinced of the innocence of the prime suspect. Cate Blanchett, & Ernie Dingo are the lovers, this was very controversial when this film was made. Ernie Dingo heads a fine cast in Burned Bridge. He plays Vincent Burunga, the Aboriginal Liaison Officer at Brooklyn Waters who lives on the razor’s edge between loyalty to his people and and his official Government job as Liaison Officer. Cate Blanchett plays Beth Ashton, while recovering from divorce she inherits her grandfather’s estate in Brooklyn Waters. She arrives as an outsider but discovers more about her grandfather’s life. She finds out that her grandfather has had several children by Aboriginal women. Beth is now a blood relative of several inhabitants of Brooklyn Waters. The growing relationship between Burunga and Ashton is put to the test, having to survive the hostility between the Aboriginal and white communities as well as the obstacles of their very different backgrounds, attitudes and cultures. Cate Blanchett gets a challenging and confronting insight into his background when she travels with him to his home in outback Western Australia where traditional law is still strong within the community. Ernie Dingo must deal with her urban white environment when they pursue the accused youths case in Sydney. The third piece of the mini-series concerns the people of the Binbilla Aboriginal community just outside of Brooklyn Waters and its battle to reconstruct their community in their own way and restore their self-esteem. This is a strong and very satisfying series, Cate Blanchett before she was Cate Blanchett. She later Starred in Elizabeth, and the rest is history, as they say. I highly recommend it. well worth renting.

ANNE HATHAWAY

Rachel Getting Married is a tense look at a dysfunctional family coming together around a wedding. This is a Anne Hathaway Showcase. It is certainly an award winning performance of a woman tormented by the past, and daily fighting the daemon alcohol and the daemon drug. Kym out of rehab for the weekend to go to her sisters’ wedding must face every one of her daemons. It is a heart-tugging watch, not a tearjerker but exhausting, also because it is a wedding it is a celebration, and it is beautiful to watch. I loved this movie and I highly recommend it.

Rachida Brakni

CHAOS. The best movie I have seen all year!!!, and last year as well. This is why I love movies, why I rent movies, because every now and then you come across a gem. This movie reminds me of “DIVA”, but it is ten times better the DIVA. It starts with a bang when an Algerian prostitute named Noemie begs for a ride from Paul and his wife Helene as they drive by the scene of her merciless beating at the hands of three pimps. Paul locks the doors and, after the pimps have gone, leaving Noemie unconscious, Paul gets out of the car only to wipe Noemie’s blood off the windshield. The story is about Noemie and the the other female characters’ struggles to find individuality and freedom from under the thumb of the men in their lives. But the film doesn’t stop there – it also makes observations (and hence, commentary) about French society, Muslim cultures, and a variety of other aspects of modern life. The movie starts off fast and it does not slow down a bit. I loved this movie, it is CHAOS. A GEM. THE BEST MOVIE I HAVE SEEN THIS YEAR.

CHAOS POSTER