meechiganman Reviews

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Rooney Mara and Lisbeth kicks ass and rocks out.

[10/10 · 31 December 2011]

NOTE: There's been a lot of discussion about comparing the Swedish and American versions, but all I will say here is that they are different creatures with different intended audiences and should in no way be held up against one another.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (GWDT) is a stark and gritty movie that stays very true to the source novel by Stieg Larsson while making some minor changes for movie-making limitation purposes. All-in-all, I would say that Fincher and Steven Zaillian do a good job of keeping, adapting and removing the various parts of the story from the novel in creating the movie. The dialogue is natural and flowing with just enough of the characters stepping on each other's lines to add a sense of authenticity to the conversations. Visually, cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth does an excellent job of lighting and blocking the scenes, giving us viewers plenty to look at and providing sufficient visual cues to set the tone of each scene. The score/soundtrack is a wonder in itself, with brooding, haunting music that paints a picture for what we are supposed to expect without giving too much away. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross weaves multiple layers and sprinkles in some dissonance to subtly affect how we feel about the characters and settings. GWDT is a feast for the senses!

Rooney Mara gives a tour de force performance as Lisbeth Salander, convincingly portraying a woman who has lived outside the norms of society and has no love for convention. Lisbeth is goth enough to have street-cred, but precise enough to be a talented geek. Rooney does an amazing job dancing the fine line between tragically defiant and certifiably cracked. I'm sure if/when Mara gives her Oscar acceptance speech she will give a nod to Noomi Rapace for first giving life to Lisbeth and setting the standard for her portrayal.

Daniel Craig plays a driven Mikael Blomkvist who is trying to regain his investigative mojo, and at the same time, rescusitate his reputation. Craig embues Blomkvist with charm and a sense of self-depreciation while at the same time showing us that Blomkvist is relentless and unyielding in his pursuit for the truth.

There are many good performances by a talented and well-chosen cast, with a laundry list of great character actors who all give spot-on portrayals. Christopher Plummer is a sparkling Henrik Vanger, Stellan Skarsgard creeps me out as Martin Vanger, Yorick Van Wageningen disgust us with his depravity, and Robin Wright (! looking good) is perfect as Erika Berger the lover and business partner of Blomkvist.

I've read the books, I watched the Swedish versions, I have listened to the soundtrack for weeks ahead of time, and yet I thoroughly enjoyed the American version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I can't wait for Lisbeth to kick some more ass!!

-----SPOILER------ One of the caveats that I would give to anyone interested in seeing GWDT is that there are some scenes that walk up to and maybe even step over the line between R and NC-17. The rape scene of Lisbeth by Bjurman and then Lisbeth's revenge on Bjurman are brutal and unnerving. Most of the violence and assault are implied and not seen, but there is enough to disgust some people and I know more than a few viewers either turned away or even left the theater. However, I feel like those scenes are not gratuitous and are an integral part of pushing the story line and character development. Just be warned.

Once (I) (2007)

See "Once" many more times than once.

[10/10 · 18 June 2007]

Let's say you're watching a movie and you are loving it and at the end you cheer and tell yourself that "this was an awesome movie!" and then you realize, as the credits are rolling, that the 2 main characters are just called "guy" and "girl"--their names are never mentioned the whole movie! That is the beauty of "Once", you are so drawn into the story and interplay between the guy and girl that you don't need names. Each character is defined by who they are to each other and those in their lives! Glen Hansard (singer of the Frames) does a great job of playing the heart-broken street busker/vacuum repair-man who pours his pain out in his music. The guy is so appealing and likable that, even when he has a momentary lapse of reason and acts like an arsehole, you forgive him because you know it is so out of character for him. Marketa Irglova plays "the girl" with a mix of winsome charm and worldly smarts that makes you like her from the instant that "the guy" (and the viewers) meet her. The girl is a czech concert pianist who is estranged from her husband and making a living in Dublin with the odd job here and there. She misses playing her piano, but cannot afford to buy one for herself, so she has to make do with playing occasionally in a club or in a music shop with a nice, understanding manager. When they meet, "the guy" is taking a break from his typical popular street-music set to perform his own music, a song that is both smart and soulful, but probably not popular enough to elicit any money. Their first conversation is funny and revealing, and serves to set the tone for their future interactions. There is a chemistry between them, but also a very sweet reluctance to go beyond the bounds of their relationship. "Once" is directed by John Carney (also of Frames fame) and shot by Tim Fleming, and the film style is mainly pseudo-documentary with a lot of hand-held shots and on-street settings that take place in the midst of the real world. I do have to say that Dublin and the seaside look great and there are more than a few great landscapes that will take your breath away. There are no big stars and only a few actors who might be recognizable by eagle-eyed Irish/UK movie buffs. "Once" is ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC, Glen and Marketa write their own songs and perform them in realistic settings, with nobody just breaking out into song in the middle of a scene, and without any cheesy dance scenes or spotlights. The soundtrack is catchy and soulful with some very heartfelt lyrics and easy to enjoy music. "Once" could almost be a documentary of how Glen (and Marketa, and Tim) hit it big; they are (were?) on tour in the US. John Carney does a masterful job of telling the story in a very appealing manner while avoiding a lot of the clichés that infest so many movies today. And yet, there are many familiar scenes where you almost know what is going to happen, but are still pleasantly surprised when it does. Especially touching for me was the scene where the guy plays his completed demo for his dad, nervously awaiting a verdict; great stuff! "Once" is the kind of movie that isn't widely publicized or splashed on the TV or radio at first, but then there is such acclaim from those who have seen it that pretty soon everybody is jumping on the bandwagon. 2007 is (so far) are really good year for movies, but I'd venture to day that "Once" is one of the best of the year. "Once" is worth see more than once. Tell your friends, neighbors and acquaintances to go see "Once", they will thank you for the tip ( and you will be able to go with them).

The Italian Job (2003)

Good, clean fun!! Love the Mini Cooper!

[8/10 · 27 May 2003]

I was lucky enough to chance upon a sneak preview of "The Italian Job", and walked away feeling thoroughly entertained and glad that I decided to give it a try. The original, with Michael Caine was a nice caper film with a fairly simple plot and good characters. This remake is no different, expect a lightweight action-adventure film that is well worth the price of admission. The clever plot addresses all the motivations and angles for the characters, and has just enough plot twists to keep you interested without bogging you down in the minutiae. The heist and chase scenes are first rate and made the crowd buzz with excitement. Of course, the Mini-Cooper is the star! While Mark Wahlberg and Edward Norton give good performances as good guy vs. bad guy, the two leads seemed very one-dimensional. The supporting cast is top notch and very frequently steals the scene with funny, clever one-liners that drew big laughs. Charlize Theron, Seth Green, Mos Def, and Jason Statham all put in believable performances.

Overall, I really enjoyed this movie and would definitely recommend it to all of my friends as good, clean fun!

The Truth About Charlie (2002)

OK, but wait till it's out on video.

[4/10 · 27 October 2002]

This is not a bad movie, there are some pretty good twists different from the original, Charade. As the star, Thandie Newton does a great job of carrying the plot along and is charming in every way. Mark Wahlberg doesn't hurt or help the movie, giving a fairly undistinguished performance. The normally solid Tim Robbins overdoes the stiffness and pomposity of Walter Matthau's part. Overall, I would tell my friends to skip the big screen and rent it on DVD.

Amélie (2001)

Every one of my friends will see this film! Marvelous!

[10/10 · 6 January 2002]

Amelie is most likely the best movie released this year. Charming and whimsical, it invokes a feeling of joy for finding the good in our lives. Make sure you have all that you need and don't drink too much prior to this film, because if you miss one part of this film you will inevitably miss a joke or punchline later in the movie. The mastery of Amelie is that nearly all the characters has just the right amount of character development, giving us enough insight into their lives to make each plot development poignant and fun. There are a lot of fantastical scenes where reality is bent a little, but I think most people have had the same kinds of thoughts and seen the same hallucinations at one point in their lives. Audrey Tatou is gourgeous and endearing at the same time with a grin that can't help but make you laugh. The payoff for this movie comes right near the end, and you feel every bit of emotion that can be wrung from it. I've seen Amelie three times, as of today, and I plan to see it many more times while I accompany all of my friends to see it. Also, this is a great date movie! LOVE IT!

Someone Like You (2001)

Someone clever like Ashley Judd...

[7/10 · 7 April 2001]

So far. this is the date movie of the spring! Drag him or escort her to Someone Like You and have a great time, laughing and smiling. Almost everybody in this movie looks great. Ashley Judd was absolutely scrumptious! Greg Kinnear and Hugh Jackman play opposite ends of the dating man spectrum, giving every woman in the theatre ample choice in a fantasy man. And, in a role that seems to be made for her, Marisa Tomei plays the cute, bitchy best friend. Judd looks like she had fun making this movie and comes across as being someone that any man would fall in love with. (I did!) Except for some excessive tears in a few scenes, I thought the story moved along very well and kept the audience involved. The movie followed the basic plot of the book with most changes simply streamlining the story to allow for visual interpretation. Walking into the theatre I expected a fun romantic comedy, and walking out I felt like I was more than satisfied with what I watched. Someone Like You was charming and clever and I love Ashley Judd more than ever!

Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)

I liked BJD just as it was.

[8/10 · 7 April 2001]

Wow! Renee pulled it off! I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed in who they picked to be Bridget Jones, but I was pleasantly proved wrong. Renee Zellweger is a great actress and she proved her mettle in giving an absolutely perfect performance as Bridget Jones. Hugh Grant was excellent as the charming, handsome a*****e, Daniel Cleaver. Colin Firth plays the role that was literally made for him. Add in top-drawer supporting performances and you have a wonderful, hilarious movie that had everyone laughing out loud for most of the movie. As a reader I have seen a lot of book-to-screen movies fail miserably, but BJD transferred very well. There were a few funny running jokes that didn't make it into the screenplay, but I hardly missed 'em. The laughs kept coming and coming, and Renee had got some huge laughs just by using looks and expressions. Read the book or not, but go to see this movie, you won't regret it.

In the Mood for Love (2000)

Words fail me...You MUST see it! Stunning!

[10/10 · 26 February 2001]

How do you describe perfection? In-the-Mood-For-Love! Maggie Cheung and Tony Leong practically dance on the screen and give stellar performances that stay with you hours after you've left the theatre. Every scene in the film resonates with the powerful combination of superb cinematography and shot selection, top-notch acting, and the sensual soundtrack. Nat King Cole singing in French absolutely sets the tone for the whole movie. Maggie and Tony look marvelous, with Maggie slinking about in some truly glorious cheongsams and Tony always looking dapper. I've seen this movie several times already, and everytime I see it I find something new to rave about. Love it!

Lucky Numbers (2000)

Unlucky to see this turkey.

[1/10 · 27 October 2000]

You would think with Lisa Kudrow, John Travolta, Ed O'Neill, and Bill Pullman in the cast you could expect a fun, clever movie. Travolta and Kudrow try very hard, but the story was tired and boring. Lisa looks great and the dancers are decorative, but even skin couldn't save this film. This is just a hideous waste of time.

American Cuisine (1998)

Making gourmet food should be this fun!

[7/10 · 17 October 2000]

Besides having a few too many cliches, Cuisine Americaine is a delightful romp through the world of French cuisine from the viewpoint of the earnest and naturally talented American chef. Jason Lee is supported by a cast of excellent European character actors, and gives a stand-up performance. For those interested in food and cooking, this is a great movie, otherwise just try to have fun with the numerous story-lines. I would recommend this to half of my friends.

Runaway Bride (1999)

Julia and Richard combine great chemistry and good acting.

[9/10 · 10 August 1999]

Yes, this is a chick-flick, but there is also a sense of balance in the eternal battle of the sexes. Julia Roberts and Richard Gere have incredible chemistry, bringing back the great interaction that made Pretty Woman a believable story. You end liking both Maggie and Ike and rooting for a happy ending. Credible supporting performances by Joan Cusack, Hector Elizondo, and Rita Wilson keeps the story moving along and adds depth in the character development of Maggie and Ike. In the end, I came out of this film feeling optimistic about my OWN chances for finding my Miss Right.

Notting Hill (1999)

Something nice to see, meets expectations.

[7/10 · 30 May 1999]

Notting Hill very nicely meets the expectations for a romantic-comedy. Julia basically plays herself, a charismatic leading lady with understated grace. Hugh makes his trademark performance as an everyman(-brit) seem natural and almost too easy. Together, they have enough chemistry to be believable as a romantic couple. In the end, I felt like Notting Hill fulfilled my requirements; an enjoyable, charming love-story with lots of laughs and a plausible(if somewhat fantastic) story-line. A great date movie that you can see on your own.