Category: Movie Reviews

director: Jon Turteltaub
starring: Nicolas Cage, Sean Bean

This movie wants so badly to be The da Vinci Code, but fails on just about every level. It lacks any coherent plot; it lacks any real excitement; and it lacks the footing in reality that makes the aforementioned bestseller so intriguing. The basic idea is that Nic Cage’s character has to steal the Declaration of Independence (and the hidden map on its backside) in order to a) keep it from thieves he used to work with who want to use it for nefarious means (i.e. finding a treasure) and b) finding said treasure (why it’s okay for him to find it and not the bad guy is never made clear). When’s the last time Nicolas Cage made a good movie? His acting is almost as bad as the hairpiece he wears. Catch this flick when it’s on cable, like I did.

director: Alexander Payne
starring Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church

A great, “little” independent flick about two friends taking a weekend trip to California’s wine country. It’s not necessarily a gut-busting, over-the-top, laugh-fest, but I found it pretty hilarious nonetheless. It won’t be for everyone; there’s some pretention you might have to get over in order to enjoy it. It’s almost good enough to make you want to go on a weekend jaunt to wine country. Almost. “I don’t want the fucking Merlot!” indeed.

director: Christopher Nolan
starring: Christian Bale, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Michael Caine, Katie Holmes

Batman Begins is not an action film. It is not a comic book film. It is not a drama. It’s a horror film, pure and simple. It’s not about masked serial killers with chainsaws, though. It’s a horror film that truly explores the concept of fear. Whether you’re a so-called “good guy” or “bad guy,” there is always something to fear. How you react to that fear is often what defines you as “good” or “bad.” This horror film uses fear to illustrate its characters–fear defines Bruce Wayne and his unyielding quest to rescue Gotham from corruption and evil–fear is a weapon to keep the weak in line, as crime boss Carmine Falcone (Tom Wilkinson) does–fear is a tangible tool that Dr. Jonathan Crane (Cillian Murphy), as Scarecrow, uses for experimentation and pleasure–fear is what keeps Gotham’s citizenry from taking back their city from corruption and poverty. Batman Begins is about fear and how one lets it affect them. | extended review