| Issue #31, October 27, 2006 |
Dave Evans’ MINI – MOVIE REVIEWS
Saw III
The best new horror franchise on the block rolls out its third installment and there’s plenty on offer to turn stomachs and tingle spines. Once again the dementedly sadistic Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) is torturing the good people of America with their own morality. Properly frightening stuff.
Catch A Fire
More worthy drama from Australian director Philip Noyce. This tale of political rebellion in Apartheid-run South Africa carries its weight clumsily. Tim Robbins and Derek Luke play the chief activists and play them well, but there is something too leaden about Noyce’s take on the situation to ever really inspire.
Running With Scissors
Based on Augusten Burroughs’ best-selling comic memoir, this is quirky and interesting family fare with excellent performances all round. There’s something wrong with the pacing of the narrative and this leads to an odd rhythm. That said, Annette Bening is phenomenal as Augusten’s mother while Joseph Cross plays the boy himself with guts and glory.
Flags of Our Fathers
An ensemble period film based on the Allied (and largely American) victory at Iwo Jima in February, 1945. Clint Eastwood takes the helm with Steven Spielberg and Mystic River’s Rob Lorenz lurking in the wings as producers. This has “Nominate-Me!” scrawled all over it, but the whole affair feels overly worthy and heavy-handed in the most lifeless of ways.
The Prestige
Christopher Nolan (of Memento fame) returns to form with this stunning, dark and brooding tale of competition and obsession in 19th century London. Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale are phenomenal as the dueling magicians at the center of the plot, and even celluloid-poison David Bowie can’t sink this. A gorgeous triumph.
Flicka
It’s all ranching and family-honor in this girl-meets-horse-from-the-wrong-side-of-the-tracks nonsense. Country singer Tim McGraw stars as the father of said girl (Alison Lohman) who must learn to accept that she is an adult now and worthy of taking over the family land and business. At least it’s not CGI.
The Grudge 2
Sarah Michelle Gellar returns in the sequel to one of 2004’s most successful American adaptations of classic Japanese horror. The plot still revolves around the inexplicable and contagious fit of rage and luckily the shocks are still as sharp. This time the focus is on Gellar’s character’s sister, played perfectly adequately by Sister of the Traveling Pants star Amber Tamblyn.
Man of the Year
Barry Levinson, director of the excellent Wag the Dog, is back on familiar ground with this tale of a talk show host (Robin Williams) who jokingly runs for president and wins. Sharp, funny and with an excellent cast (including Laura Linney, Christopher Walken and the ever-superb Jeff Goldblum) this is well worth a look.
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