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Have you seen a movie lately? Are you interested in telling
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Make your subject heading, 'Movie Review' and send your review
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anytime.
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The director Andrzej Bartkowiak brings a concept story about
a heist that goes in every direction. Staring Jet Li as a
Taiwanese Government agent and Rap artist DMX as a gang leader
by the name of Anthony Fait. When Anthony and his gang gets
hired to rob a major downtown vault filled with diamonds and
other precious stones, his contact isn’t the only one
who wants in on what he stole (particularly, one of them being
a bag of what looks like black diamonds). Within all the mess,
the same enemy kidnaps Anthony’s daughter. Jet Li (The
government agent from Taiwan) is up against an enemy from
his homeland. Jet Li, and DMX find a way to get his kidnapped
daughter back from the same enemy. So what’s makes the
stones so special? That’s for you people to find out!
Remember True Lies? Or maybe Raider Of The Lost Ark, I found
a little of both in this film. Kelly Hu and Mark Dacascos play
the enemies; Kelly was born and raised on the island of Hawaii
and became Miss Hawaii in 1993. Like True Lies, Tia Carrere
played a villain and she is also born and raised from Hawaii.
I’ve also seen Dacascos in several other films based in
Hawaii, but I’m unsure if he is from Hawaii or not.
Truly, the action is to speak of. Although the cinematography
seemed rather choppy (put together too quickly), it definitely
kept me at the edge of my seat wanting to know more about what
was coming up. The whole plate of questions seemed to pop into
my head. “Where are the stones?” “What is
he going to do?” “I wonder if they plan on killing
that girl.” While all these questions came to me, the
one thing found interesting was that the story kept me wondering
what was so darn special about those stones? And it’s
not till the grand finale that they find out what was special
about it.
Now the correlation that it had to Raiders of The Lost Ark was
at the end. Remember the part where the guy had turned inside
out and his soul grinded into smithereens as the very life of
him came out of his body and the rest of the Germany army.
The fighting scenes are outstanding. I can say suave with a
touch of uniqueness. Jet Li almost had me wondering about the
style because so many films with Jujitsu, Kung Fu, and Karate
seem to fall similar. He had something special. Let’s
compare; it was a cross between Steven Segal (because of the
standing still part) and Jackie Chan meeting Charles Bronson.
I thought that was so cool. I will let this mingle in your head
fellow reader and you will know what I mean when you see it.
-by Jennifer Nacino
Headlines
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Dare Devil is an extremely entertaining movie. It's the real
thing, we have a real sense of life here. The main character
goes through a hardship of loosing his sight as a child, and
at nearly the same time loosing his father. However those
incidents that gave him hardship also gave him superhuman
senses and balance. Like a superhero he learns to use his
newly found strengths out of a tragic event. Here we follow
a boy through his vunerability and trials and watch him become
the Dare Devil. The movie is filmed in a darker light but
somehow you find yourself rooting for the main character,
hoping that he can do it. He's against all odds, being a blind
kid, who just lost his father, and he lives in a bad part
of town, but it makes him who he is. The scenes of superhuman
strength, speed, and cunning are done well. The only real
flaw of the film is that the fighting scences are so close
up you can't tell what's going on until it's over. Definately
a must see, if just for the industrial-like Batman similar
characteristics of the film.
-by Billie Diemand
Headlines
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Dream Catcher and The Last Flight of Osiris |
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I hope that many people enjoyed this thriller as much as I know
I did. I know that Stephen King is head honcho for being the
king of scare and thrill; I’ve read two of his books.
I must say he truly has a way of making the Audience consume
the understanding of how twisted he can get. If some of the
scenes you see in this film are not too twisted for you then
start with a healthy dose of The Shinning, or even Tommy Knockers.
Overall, his stories draw attention. The attention of questioning
the “impossible?” and make you fall into the statement
of saying, “Oh, I seen that before, now what?” Dreamcatcher,
has left me thinking about other science fiction stories and
tales about growing up. Yes, both of these concepts are in one
movie.
In short, Morgan Freeman is Colonel Abraham Curtis, who plays
the head of the military CIA. They are mobilizing a community
of people they believe are taken over by alien life forms. Within
the mobilization, four friends who have gifts of their own are
in the same area on a camping trip. When the military and these
four meet up the four friends find that they aren’t there
just by coincidence.
I guess one of the reasons I felt I could compare this film
with a film about growing up was the close friendship the four
guys had. I began to think of movies like Stand By Me, and Now
and Then. When you finally get to see this, just think of the
first Aliens movie and you will absolutely feel that I had the
correct comparison in my mind for Dreamcatcher. (Think stomach)
The Last Flight of Osiris is an installment of nine chapters
to the Animatrix for the film called The Matrix. This short
film was mentioned during the advertisement of Dreamcatcher.
That is a great way of getting an audience to the theatre to
see this most exciting short. This short film was seen after
Dreamcatcher, and I had seen this film a week before release.
Undoubtedly, computer imaging has changed for the best. Technology
has proven to excide the power of visual perspective and has
given the viewer eye candy. The part I would love to mention
best about this short is the relationship the Wachowski brothers
implemented in the animation. It was purely a multi-racial courtship
between the head guy who is African American and a female who
is Asian American. The most interesting idea they conquered
here is both a story and an international relationship. Also
on a last note, if many of you recall seeing Final Fantasy,
yes these guys also created The last Flight of Osiris. This
short is much better in story. Keep in mind that computer graphics
have come along way, and it’s in our own minds that we
welcome any kind of new and fresh idea. After all, Hollywood
is certainly running out of ideas.
-by Jenn Nacino
Headlines
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The first Final Destination brought about a set of teens
experiencing freak of nature accidents and strange occurrences
in death. The second is somewhat similar. This time around
death is back with a vengeance, or to say that he’s
back to tie up loose ends because of one surviving person,
Clear Rivers. Clear, who wishes to stay in a mental ward
is asked for help by one of the survivors of a deadly car
wreck who saw the accident in a premonition. Like the first,
the survivors fight to stay alive and many fall into a “sort
of once in a lifetime chance accident happenings.”
I hadn’t seen the first Final Destination and I found
it quite intriguing that the story was thought about without
over emphasizing the necessity of real acting. I got an
idea of the possibility that as people you never know how
safe we are, how secure things are around us, and the question
of the higher being at work. The film is directed by David
Ellis and has also done Armageddon 1998. The subject matter
that he brings to film is what caught my attention. It’s
the kind of stories that ask the “what if” question.
Questions that I particularly ask is, “Is that possible
and it is, so what if? In Final
Destination 2, I see many questions coming to me in this form.
I believe situations that occur and place us in death can
be questioned in how it happens, but not why. The characters
of the film go through such parole and mental pain that everything
they do gets to a point of feeling like nothing around them
is safe and it makes them go into a fret of panic. One important
factor that the story brings is the relation of the first
final Destination. It was not implicated until half way through
the film that Clear Rivers was seen, hence audiences related
her to the first. Then when the characters began to talk about
how they managed to dodge death in a so-called coincidences,
they discovered amoungst them that they all knew somebody
from the incident of the first Final Destination. The filmed
runs about an hour and a half and has tons of blood, gore,
drugs, and language, for mature audiences only.
-by Jennifer Nacino
Headlines
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Martin Scorsese works his unique ability to tell a one of
a kind story in "The Gangs of New York." With its
colorful and well acted cast, Leonardo Di Caprio, Daniel Day-Lewis,
and Cameron Diaz, the film weaves a sharp view of a violent
world that was almost forgotten. It seems Scorsese's vision,
what some might claim as outlandish in "Gangs,"
takes on a vibrant life of its own, showing the audience a
history almost forgotten and an aura of a young city.
-by Ian Paul
Headlines
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When Hollywood came out and started movies they also started
trailers and the trailers were suppose to tease the viewer
into seeing the movie, well this was the teaser that was told
the second I saw the film.
Charlie Carbone played by (Jerry O’Connell) was only 12yrs
old when he was drowning and was saved by Louis Booker (Anthony
Anderson). They became friends since and life has thrown them
in the mix. Until Charlie’s step father who is head of
the mafia gets fed-up with him and his friend Louis. He gives
them a simple job in Australia that goes terribly wrong and
involves a kangaroo.
I couldn’t help, but wonder if they were trying to target
the children in the audience or the adult audience. One of the
interesting things they managed to depict is the friendship
of the characters. Children wouldn’t understand some of
the dialogue that they had in this film. I’m almost positive
that Louis Booker had gotten laughs out of almost everyone in
the audience. When there were clumsy, clunky, funny situations
these are the parts that the kids mostly enjoyed. The whole
audience enjoyed this film. My guess is that mainly the fact
that it’s something that the family would enjoy. That’s
why I went with my neighbor and her kids.
Along with the film, at the end there is also what I call “Kangaroo
outtakes.” This is where the kangaroo does some of his
own comical stuff and even does something from the Austin Powers,
the Spy that shagged me. (Not that I even seen it, but I know
where it’s from). I always think that films that have
outtakes at the end show the audience the other side of the
filming aspect to seem light hearted and fun added into the
production of filming.
In any case the film had fluked out on the trailers and commercials,
but given the story and the comical idea placed in the film
it turns out for the younger generation of people. If you
have children to see it with, go bring them. If not, it’s
definitely something to rent (on sale!) or purchase as a gift
for someone with children.
-by Jennifer Nacino
Headlines
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In this sequel to Shanghai Noon, Chon Wang (Jackie Chan) and
Roy O’Bannon (Owen Wilson) get together for another adventure.
This time Chon’s sister Lin played by Fann Wong has witnessed
their fathers murder and is out to get revenge and to retrieve
the imperial seal. With the help of her brother Chon and his
friend Roy, they cross the seas to London to help Chon’s
sister. They meet up with adventure, fun, and learn a lesson
on friendship.
The film directed by David Millar and written screenplay by
Miles Millar and Al Gough, the action placed Jackie’s character
in yes, looking like it was all natural. His character seemed
to be more so the kind of guy that doesn’t want any trouble,
yet when he is bothered by the bad guy he manages to jump into
action and display the funny side that everyone loves him for.
Jackie Chan is also the Executive producer for the film and
his brother help out also, but I’m not sure of what his
first name is.
The Genre of this film is action, comedy, and sequel and is
rated PG-13 for the action violence and sexual content. In my
opinion the film is certainly great for the comedy, but the
beginning is much better then the last one. I also love the
fact that there are always outtakes at the end of the film.
Most of the film’s that Jackie Chan has done all have some
kind of outtake. In Shanghai Noon and in Shanghai Knights Jackie
makes it fun for everyone by incorporating the whole cast.
-by Jennifer Nacino
Headlines
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Do any of you recall watching war films that showed the main
character as being mean, rouged, and tough? Mention that to
many other people and I’m pretty sure you would get the
same answer. Tears of the Sun can be mentioned as one of the
many films that rammed right though that thought of rough and
tough. It’s my idea of a great there after thought with
a hint of compassion.
Lt. A.K Waters (Bruce Willis) and eight of the Navy Seals finest
go into the jungles of Nigeria to recover Dr. Lena Kendricks
(Monica Bellucci) along with the two nuns and a priest. She
is a valuable asset to Africa, but because of the crisis in
Africa and because she is an American she has to return. Waters
and his men are convinced by Kendricks to take the refugees
also. While they are evacuating, Waters leaves the refugees
behind and decides to turn back to assist the victims in need.
And in choosing to do so he has the future of Cambodia within
the group of following refugees and an African rebellion Militia
closing in fast.
Not only is this film deciphering the characters emotions the
scenery is just amazing. Every shot, from beginning to end captured
my attention and I’m positive that there has been real
thought that went into editing and cinematography. I’m
not going to say this movie is the best, but like the characters
from Cradle 2 the Grave, this film was shot in Hawaii. Tourism
may go up that way, but I can’t be sure. I want to believe
that more men out there are as dedicated, this film’s
plot surely pushes it, especially during this time that our
country may go to war.
-by Jennifer Nacino
Headlines
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Something told me that the makers of this film was going to
go after the audience that had seen 70’s version of
This movie called Ben (I think it’s called that). I’m
sure that some of you remember it, but I’ll try to tell
you more about it here. Ben was a story about a boy that had
a rat as a pet the boy called him Ben. Something sad happened
to either the boy or the rat. Michael Jackson did the song
done for the film when he was much younger. The song was called
Ben. Now, you all know that there was actually a film behind
the song. Anyway, The way the creators used the song in this
film is much far from what the 70’s version Ben was
about.
Willard is about a young professional man named Willard played
by Crispin Glover who lives with his mother and works at his
deceased father’s company. When his mother asks him
to rid the basement of rats, his lonesome world begins to
take a turn for the worst. Problems come from his work, his
mother, and the rats.
I want to say that this movie is dark, but I have found it
to make me feel sympathy for the character Willard. Almost
felt that the rats were right, but Willard is also wrong.
I found the cinematic views to be catchy. I think if the cinematographer
had taken a step back to see what the theme was on for that
one scene then he would have came up with something that would
be rather too much. I don’t believe that I would have
done it any different. I see that the cinematographer examining
the area well in advance of shooting it. Toilet scenes, popping
heads in air vents, and taking notice of chewed holes in walls
are handled differently then in other thrilling and scary
movies like this.
This movie is rated “R” for it’s language,
and often sketchy patterns of behavior. I say this because
I know that the Ben film from the 70’s is nothing like
this one.
-by Jennifer Nacino
Headlines
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