Review of film: “BEDTIME STORIES” – A tendency to almost put you to SLEEP

Review of film:  “BEDTIME STORIES”  –  A tendency to almost put you to SLEEP =     

                          [ Rating:  6 of 10 stars ]

Date Rated: Dec 19, 2008 | Rel. Date: Dec 25, 2008

(Per an advance preview:) Some fantasy movies (such as “ENCHANTED”) are constructed to be strongly entertaining to both kids and adults; to me, “BEDTIME STORIES” is NOT one of those...

...  ADAM SANDLER stars as a hotel worker who -- along with his sister’s co-worker friend (KERI RUSSELL)-- is asked to care for his seldom-seen niece & nephew. He has co-workers who are friendly (such as RUSSELL BRAND) & not friendly (GUY PEARCE) as he tries to get a better job...

...  Sandler’s character is not slapstick, but seems to exist indecisively between being silly and semi-grounded in reality...

...  The idea of his telling the kids some Bedtime Stories (which later start to actually HAPPEN to him) is a good concept, but, the periodic creativity is derailed by a lot of sadly WEAK writing...

...  There were just MILD laughs (almost all from KIDS) to this decently acted film; but, when the only hearty laugh is caused by sound effects concerning a guinea pig, you’ve got a DISAPPOINTING movie. Add 1 star if it's being viewed by KIDS only.

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Review of film: “HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS & ALIENATE PEOPLE” -- It’s EASY to do in this film!

Review of film:  “HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS & ALIENATE PEOPLE”  --  It’s EASY to do in this film!  =    

                                               [ Rating:  6 of 10 stars ]

Date Rated: Oct 2, 2008 | Rel. Date: Oct 3, 2008

[From an advance preview:]  The title “says it all”, as it tells the story of a British writer named Sidney (SIMON PEGG) who’s brought to work at the NYC office of an often “politically-correct” magazine by its once-rebellious editor (JEFF BRIDGES)...

... Sidney is a rude, crude & lewd dude, whose slovenly, excessive & blundering ways soon alienate many of those around him, including his boss Alison (KIRSTEN DUNST, who’s quite breezy and enjoyable in the role)...

...  Sidney tends to shift between being a very moralistic & straightforward writer, to being a butt-kissing hack flack, and then back again...

...  PEGG does a good job in his often-off-putting role, & Bridges is appropriately bemused much of the time...

...  But, while there are a number of mild laughs, overall, I found the film pretty WEAK. It’s not bad in any particular way, but I feel it could’ve been far better if it more clearly went towards whatever it was trying to get across or highlight (either the humor or the efforts towards honest reporting).

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Review of film: “ELEGY” -- “Higher” education may not be all that “lofty”!

Review of film:  “ELEGY”  --   “Higher” education may not be all that “lofty”!  =

             [ RATING:  6 of 10 stars ] 

Date Rated: Aug 2, 2008 | Rel. Date: Aug 8, 2008 =

[Based on an advance preview].  In this new film, BEN KINGSLEY plays David, a cultural critic / university professor who pulls back from a long-term relationship with friend Carolyn (PATRICIA CLARKSON) when he grows obsessed with his beautiful student Consuela (PENELOPE CRUZ)... 


...  He shares thoughts about life, desires and aging with his long-time friend & cohort George (DENNIS HOPPER), and tries to deal with his ever-angry son Kenneth (PETER SARSGAARD)...


...  All involved give unusually GOOD performances in this adult drama...


...  But, while it’s very well-done on a technical level, there’s a number of SAD [& creepy] elements streaming throughout the periodically slow-moving intertwining stories, and you end up feeling almost “worn-out” by the difficulties suffered by the characters (even tho the end seems to give glimmers of various levels of hope).

Review of film: “FINDING AMANDA” -- It’s tough when you DON’T WANT to be found or helped!

Review of film:   “FINDING AMANDA” --   It’s tough when you DON’T WANT to be found or helped!  =   

                       [ RATING:  6 of 10 stars ] 

Date Rated: Jun 24, 2008 | Rel. Date: Jun 27, 2008 =

[From an advance preview:]  This movie is being advertised as a “comedy”-- but it’s really more of a DRAMA with a small number of periodically funny comments by MATTHEW BRODERICK who plays a disillusioned TV comedy writer who keeps trying to hide the fact that he still suffers from a number of recurring addictions (gambling, alcohol, etc.)...


...  Even as he’s deceiving his wife (MAURA TIERNEY) about his problems, he goes to Las Vegas to try to “save” his niece (very well-played by BRITTANY SNOW) from her life as a hooker and from what he perceives to be addictions. This slice-of-life drama is a periodically sort of sad commentary on people deceiving themselves along with others. It’s R-rated due to a number of sexual situations (handled more “matter-of-factly” than exploitatively), and it’s usually more successful in its observations than in its humor. Overall, it’s decent (in its indecency and quasi-hopeful ending), but while OK, it's nothing special in my opinion.

Review of film: “THE FALL” -- REFLECT before you plunge into this

Review of film:   “THE FALL”   --  REFLECT before you plunge into this  = 

                  [ RATING:  6 of 10 stars ] 

Date Rated: May 28, 2008 | Rel. Date: May 9, 2008 =

This film (by Tarsem Singh) was shot in a number of wonderful locations (such as India), has some impressive sets and costumes and some quite good acting by leads LEE PACE (as injured stunt actor Roy Walker) and charming young CATINCA UNTARU as Alexandria, the girl who tries to help him recover in a hospital after World War I...


...  What it doesn’t have is a sensible, clear story you can really enjoy, since Roy is such an inherently depressed character who creates stories for Alexandria to try to induce her to get him excessive medications. There are some humorous elements, and some fabulous architectural structures you can take pleasure in...


...  But, I think you’ll have some difficulty in truly enjoying the film as an overall experience: it’s not bad, it’s just frequently somewhat confusing, and, to me the whole doesn’t add up to more than the sum of its disparate parts. In other words, it’s more fascinating than pleasurable. Best to think twice before you decide to spend your time seeing it.

Review of film: “SON OF RAMBOW” – Outsider Shoots A Film

Review of film:  “SON OF RAMBOW”  – Outsider Shoots A Film  = 

                        [ RATING:  6 of 10 stars ] 

Date Rated: May 10, 2008 | Rel. Date: May 2, 2008 =

[From an advance screening:]  There are a number of charming and interesting elements in this British movie-- along with some strange, confusing and unnecessary side-trips into “everything-but-the-kitchen-sink” territory. The underpinning of the film revolves around the life of pre-teen Will in a near-Puritanical religious sect called The Brethren.  Since I know someone who’s taught in a Brethren-based school, I know a lot of what the film portrays (i.e., the disassociation with modern dress and technology like videos) is quite accurate...


...  In the public school he attends, the naive Will (played by BILL MILNER) meets a similarly-aged delinquent guy Lee (well acted by WILL POULTER) who introduces him to the “Outsider” world of movies and disobedience. Brethren Will becomes obsessed with filming a MOVIE with his quasi-friend, to the consternation of his very religious mother and her male friend. While too much of this goes off on meaningless tangents, it has some enjoyable fundamentals.