oneloveall Reviews

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

Time to grow up

[4/10 · 22 May 2008]

Sorry fans, the cynics are going to win this one. I did not go into Crystal Skull expecting the second coming. What I did expect was to feel some semblance of that old Hollywood magic we were so accustomed to in the prior trilogy.

Not so with the latest Indiana. There just isn't any drive to this installment. Despite Spielberg and Lucas's blatant formula-following with all of the obligatory giant set-piece action scenes intact, two ingredients which feel sadly missed are heart and soul (despite trying to fulfill those categories late, it only feels more creatively creepy instead).

As soon as the film begins it becomes apparent that a time-warped fondness which possess it's creators will forbid the movie to shine in any current way, playing out more like a musty homage then a genuine sequel (which feels no more apparent then throughout Ford's tired, dispirited scowl-possessed demeanor). If anyone dropped the ball though, it seems to be Lucas, whose storytelling credibility has truly eroded to the core. Thanks to his plot guidance this retread becomes completely unnecessary and empty- an opposite of what the well-crafted prequels offered in escapist fare.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Has all the elements but lacks some bite

[6/10 · 19 May 2008]

It seemed strange- In my memories I recalled Last Crusade being the most solid of the three Indiana adventures, capturing the Raiders sense of epic , historical adventure and Temple's humor and flair. Imagine my surprise that in retrospect, the third installment plays out less convincingly then the others.

It's hard to say why time has been less kind to Indiana's last undertaking as opposed to the two before it, though it generally seems to stem from an authentic lack of inspiration. Many scenes, whether they are of the exploratory or action-induced type, smell of mimicry, particularly the film's later sequences attempting to emulate Raider's desert action.

Thankfully Connery's elegant presence works wonders for the film's dynamic, who helps pull so many of the predictable but always impressive action sequences out of an impending mediocrity.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

Better and worse in different ways

[7/10 · 18 May 2008]

Temple of Doom always catches a bad rep for being too shallow and too dark of an adventure for standard Indy fans. Although compared to the other two I see their point, I always seemed to have very little problem with the way they made this sequel. I find it more fun and lively then the other's despite having less character and story. The pace remains thrilling throughout, and the set-pieces simply continue to outshine their predecessor's with reckless glee.

The essence of Indiana's second (but chronologically first) adventure may have been simplified, goofed on, and put through some kind of morbid angle, but the overall experience and pacing yielded an escapist film that even goes further to bring us along for the ride when being viewed for the first time at such a young age.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

The new action prototype

[7/10 · 18 May 2008]

Although this movie is (rightfully) credited with taking the action-adventure genre into bold new territory, following all the film's well-placed elements just might have taken away from the overall adventure.

Yes, this does seem like the most mature of the three, with a plot that respects it's characters and history as much as the exotic action and intrigue. But in turn, this may hamper the pacing of the film, feeling less of a unified, far-off adventure then a series of wonderful and imaginative set-pieces set to aid the acquisition of the Ark.

Obviously, being the first installment in this legendary series has not lost it's significance, as fans clearly cherish this one above the others. It very well may have more soul then the later two, but as a pure immersive adventurer, suffers from some first-time tweaking.

La Vie En Rose (2007)

Worthwhile doco-drama

[6/10 · 18 May 2008]

A worthwhile film to explore if one is interested in learning the storied history of legendary French singer Edith Piaf, La vie en Rose is a classy period piece production detailing the singer's rough upbringing through to her historic last stand.

I credit director Olivier Dahan for piecing the movie together in a non-chronological way and adding dashes of surrealist imagery to help tell her story in a more intriguing, accessible way but the constant cutting back and forth does become excessive at points and almost seems like a distraction when it is too constant.

Of course the award winning Marion Cotillard shines brightly as the tempestuous title character, though her makeup department shines nearly as bright, authentically reproducing Piaf's appearance throughout the decades with believability. I do not want to rain on her parade because it is a dedicated and demanding performance that she put all her heart and soul into, but one of the greatest performances of all time??..I think not. She is prone to overacting and hysteria a little too often for sheer perfection.

That Obscure Object of Desire (1977)

Profound relationship entertainment

[7/10 · 18 May 2008]

Buñuel weaves his tale of a jilted (attempted) lover quite effectively until the conclusion which was a little far-fetched despite complimenting the theme.

What starts of fairly slow and uninteresting soon naturally evolves into a suspenseful and psychologically taxing study into the obsessiveness behind relationships and how that plays out between the two sexes.

Much has been made out of Buñuel's use of two different females to interchange with the lead character, although anyone who has researched the film knows that this was unintentional and has no greater meaning then necessity despite wild fan theories.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)

Overworks its mechanics

[6/10 · 15 May 2008]

Another example of how tremendous critical praise drowns out a reasonable film. By no means was it terrible, it was just nowhere near the level of authentic inspiration I was led to believe. Schnabel takes this based-on-a-true-story dealing with a paralyzed man and his one eye blink of communication and milks it for everything it is worth.

There is definitely some innovative techniques being tossed around when the director is filming the early coma-scenes from the patient's perspective, though I would struggle to call these groundbreaking or truly unique.

What kills some of the momentum and genuine emotion eventually is an unfortunate repetition that appears after we witness this nurses aide reciting the alphabet in French for the hundredth time, seemingly put in yet again to reiterate the struggle which Schnabel has already helped deaden.

I'm Not There (2007)

A celebration of change

[7/10 · 15 May 2008]

Sure this is not for everyone, and unless you have at least a minor special place in your heart for Mr. Dylan, and are somewhat familiar with his life story, many of the film's brilliant moments may be lost. However, those hoping for the closest thing to a musical tribute to one of the modern age's largest and most enigmatic icons should be singing the praise of Todd Haynes and his insightful, perceptive, and classy way of handling the material.

Conceptually, I'm Not There seems like a bigger gamble then necessary. Using six totally different types of people (black boys, women, etc) to highlight a different period of Bob's life might have seemed pretentious on paper, though it remains evident why some big names attached themselves to the project after reading just that- Haynes produces the uncanny feeling of prodding this man's public soul in a way that is neither stubbornly elusive or obnoxiously obvious.

It's a bit slow to start, and the movie is not without it's weak segments, but framed around Cate Blanchett's rightly praised, scene-stealing turn as the most provocative of the Dylan personalities, Haynes has pieced together one of the most rewarding puzzles of '07.

Elephant (2003)

Focused moments yields to a labored total

[6/10 · 3 May 2008]

Van Sant's teenage observational period was arguably at it's peak with Colombine fictionalization Elephant. Certainly with more substance then his pretentious Last Days which followed, this short, detached film still suffers from excessive tracking and needless filler but when focused on the heart of it's few main character's trek around school, becomes rather immersive and somewhat tense.

Overall, the movie was probably a recipient of the Golden Palm at Cannes due to Sant's personal, experimental style coupled by the still-fresh psychological wounds the devastating school massacre left upon our psyches.

The Agronomist (2003)

Gently provokes but rarely smolders with conviction

[6/10 · 3 May 2008]

Partially inspired documentary, centered around a blatantly charismatic and compassionate figure of Haiti's struggling social revolution, The Agronomist does not succeed so much as a film then it does to chronicle the fevered pitch of this passionate social disc jokey.

Although there were times when I felt Jean Dominique was perhaps a bit too zealous, perhaps blotting out some of the crucial themes in his messages with constant over-enunciation and furious gesturing, it becomes clear that the infectious energy emanating from the man is genuine, and was reason enough to mount this low key study in political power.

The Crossing Guard (1995)

Many great parts strain for effective whole

[6/10 · 28 March 2008]

Potentially powerful drama gently smolders more then it actually ignites. With a powerful script and an amazing foursome of actors The Crossing Guard should have been a contender for one of 1995's best drama's, though a few elements get in the way of achieving this.

Sean Penn's sophomore attempt behind the scenes yields striking promise, though some scenes flow in a rather hit and miss way. You can see him starting to come into his own as a director, though at times his direction feels a little too obvious. Surprisingly the script is quite decent as well, producing it's fair share of memorable lines.

Nicholson, as usual in a film where he is the star, commands and demands nearly all the attention, though at times the over-reaching nature of his talents do begin to seep through the emotional core of this revenge-minded redemption picture.

The Color Purple (1985)

Spielberg only excels at fantasy or history he personally knows-here neither is the case

[5/10 · 28 March 2008]

As sentimental as this period drama epic dealing with the unfortunate upbringing of one slave woman attempts to be, it's overwrought, cloying emotional manipulation feels all too potent and usually drowns out any authenticity and integrity prevalent in the script.

Of course the production, as with most Spielberg pictures, remains satisfyingly high-budget as he showcases some of the beautiful scenery of the south.

Acting is quite hit and miss with professionals like Danny Glover maintaining realistic performances but others like then first-timer Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey straining and failing to inhabit their character's lives effectively and instead offering some slightly embarrassing over-acting.

Southland Tales (2006)

One of the largest high profile misfires in recent memory

[2/10 · 18 March 2008]

It's almost sad to tear into Richard Kelly's utter and epic sci-fi mistake of a follow up to an evidently lucky debut. For his unwavering commitment to this ridiculous futuristic-but-modern (a tone that made no intuitive sense at all) absurdity alone, with all of its delusional political undertones, the man must have convictions.

For the first few minutes alone one might want to believe that the overwhelming negativity hurled at this movie and it's eventual "trimmed" 144 minute cut might not be your opinion as well (the prequel alternate-universe timetable was at least somewhat engaging). Kelly actually manages to hold the suspense of talent for that long...then it is all downhill, (besides for the occasionally sharp sex-obsessed society observation) and straight down; with each mystical new detail revealed, you will likely care about this self-absorbed script's relevance even less if you are in fact watching objectively and not pre-enrolled into the cult of Darko.

Wonder why the cast seems like literally the worst ensemble fathomable? That is not some clever Tarantino-like b-list casting, these are the only people who would put their names on it - this unintentional parody of a bloated apocalyptic mess is that misguided.

Amen. (2002)

Dead weight burdens white hot issues

[6/10 · 17 March 2008]

Bold historical drama from political maestro Costa-Gavras deals unapologetically with State and Church reactions during the Nazi occupation in Europe.

Centered around one priest and one SS Lieutenant, Amen is filled with history's dark underside during WW2 and is touted as a summation of this important director's career. Strangely though, the overall impact feels far less gripping then it ought.

Some of the English dialog does not feel very natural, while some of the lines themselves feel numbingly obvious. The plot line is interesting enough despite a lumbering predictability, but looses focus near it's conclusion.

Even though Amen's stilted nature robs the film of being a potentially powerful classic, it's classy production values ensure an involving experience.

The Big Chill (1983)

Tasty ingredients don't make a complete feast

[6/10 · 17 March 2008]

With a simply superb funeral introduction, it would be able to be fooled into thinking this movie the classic some make to be. For an 80's flick the audience-friendly, adult get-together plays out like The Breakfast Club for yuppies, exuding some memorable energy at points but misfiring just as clearly at others.

Unfortunately, when it appears Kasdan has managed to authentically capture this old group of friends admirably, besides for throwing in occasional juicy tidbits of underplayed drama, the arc begins falling around midpoint and never manages to recuperate steam.

Some of the lines feel extremely foolish by now, but the chemistry between this group remains.

Lars and the Real Girl (2007)

Gently exploits it's subject past the point of engagement

[6/10 · 16 March 2008]

Offbeat, fell-good film tries, a bit calculatedly, to merge wacky taboo humor and sincere tenderness with modest success.

In no small part due to Ryan Gosling's phenomenal talent, Lars and the Real Girl remains watchable, despite it's increasing lack of bite as the film progresses. Even though he may indulge and wallow inside of his character's eccentricities a little too often with subtle camera muggings, Gosling brings an undeniable palpability too his character's cracked psyche, and effectively gives this bizarre and far-fetched scenario a much needed humanity the script had been begging for.

More a showcase for acting then a story that will stand the test of time.

All the President's Men (1976)

Classy and informed

[7/10 · 16 March 2008]

A satisfyingly objective dramatization of the Watergate scandals as seen through two main reporters who broke the news, this will appeal most to those who love their procedurals specific, fact-heavy, and long. Going into the events with no prior knowledge and little desire to be more then entertained may leave an apathetic taste inside viewer's mouths, but those interested in exploring the multiple pathways of corruption in relation to one another via the cinematic form can do far, far worse in the detective genre then to study All the President's Men as a textbook example.

Pakula's conservative, classy direction, noble capital hill production, and Hoffman and Redford together don't hurt, either.

The Five Obstructions (2003)

Creative but mostly unnecessary

[6/10 · 5 March 2008]

Wildly inventive documentary experiments with alternate short film types as modern Danish mastermind Lars von Trier orders his friend and collaborator Jørgen Leth to reinterpret his classic short film "The Perfect Human" with five new orders to follow.

The cinematic results yield five very interesting mini movies which are displayed throughout the behind-the-scenes footage of these two director's strategizing how to accomplish any given task.

While fascinating purely from a technical love for cinema, The Five Obstructions ultimately feels like a pretentious and partially vacant exercise, exemplified best when von Trier's demanding arrogance leads to the underwhelming and pseudo-profound conclusion.

Death at a Funeral (2007)

Few moments of genuine hilarity

[5/10 · 23 February 2008]

Manic British comedy attempts to speed up an initially slow start by introducing more and more absurdities into a funeral gathering until actually becoming anything worth laughing at.

Though it tries to sweep viewers into any impending ridiculousness with increasing fervor, too often Death at a Funeral feels forced where it should feel funny.

Certainly with a script not as dry as most British comedies and direction by Frank Oz, the movie feels calibrated for a cross-pollination market with enough restraint and shock to appease both sides. To that degree the movie is a relative success, if ever so modestly.

Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

Big trouble with little time

[4/10 · 23 February 2008]

Here's one that I hoped retained some sort of magic which I seem to have remembered it possessing back when it came out. Most of the time it does precisely the opposite.

Trying to forgive the datedness and some intentional cheesiness that would have encrusted the acting, Russell still sounds like John Wayne on dope half the time.

I suppose the magic still remains for those who weaved it so in their youth, I merely saw it once and remembered it fondly. Besides for some occasionally uplifting set-work though, there is little reason to revisit this b movie.

The Boondock Saints (1999)

Self righteous silliness

[5/10 · 23 February 2008]

A rather unintentionally comical revenge-fantasy of sorts will only impress younger males with a loopy corruption-fighting plot achieving far less then V for Vendetta's occasional riles.

Troy Duffy obviously took a pop crash course in Tarantino 101, but like so many other second-rate castoff filmmakers, only manages to exploit hip looking gun-play in the kind of way that goes good with mediocre techno.

Here the only anchor to a naive show-off's indulgences of poor and/or lifeless (terrible leads) actors reading from a bad script are Duffy's undeniable creativity when actually executing some of the action sequences, and the surprising commitment he got out of Willem Dafoe.

For the teenage cult hit it has become, the blacklisted writer-director proves himself a promising flash of at least a certain type of talent, simply not the type that transcends past age 22.

Audition (1999)

Romance-Miike style

[6/10 · 21 February 2008]

The workaholic director offered one of his more "traditional" works in '99 with this mysterious tale dealing in the relationship with an older male and his mysterious new girlfriend who is anything but what he may think. Starting off slow, Audition eventually picks up, offering a few genuinely freaky moments before colliding into the convoluted cop-out's of it's indecisive climax. In between, it feels like the movie suffers from split personality disorder, attempting to be a suspenseful, morbid sort of love story and then, quite rapidly, turning into a surrealist expose which helped usher in the current craze of "torture porn" (and to that effect, achieves it's goals far more effectively then current torture flicks).

Almost Famous (2000)

Enjoyable but not altogether satisfying

[6/10 · 21 February 2008]

Well meaning but ultimately shallow rock and roll dramatics from the ex-journalist who lived it. Cameron Crowe clearly infuses a personal flavor into the film which makes it's classic rock scenarios seem that much more authentic. Shot through the memory of a fond heart looking back, Crowe's warm memories of the days he tagged along with famous musicians before he was of any age to be doing so is an enjoyable, consistent homage to the classic days of rock music, but fails to truly pay homage to that spirit with a myriad of stereotypes and self-conscious film-making making the movie less engaging.

Though the movie boasts an adept cast, spirited musical reverence, and seems to remain consistently entertaining throughout, I am almost shocked at the outpouring of perfect reviews given to Almost Famous at the time of it's release. It is not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but cannot live up to it's reputation by far, as perhaps a current viewing will affirm.

Amistad (1997)

Preachiness drains the spirit

[5/10 · 21 February 2008]

Period courtroom drama Hollywoodizing the infamous slave ship rebellion and subsequent history-changing trial starts off promising enough but slowly erodes whatever truthful moments do occur. Spielberg is at his best when action is at the fore, but always frames his moralities around heavy-handed, condescending clichés which just continues to drain the soul out of this film, despite Hounsou's overbearing effort to achieve just the opposite.

Despite it's acceleration into mediocrity, Amistad is one of those movies that should be seen once, if for nothing then production alone. There are definitely a few strong points (the opening scene really set the bar too high, huh?) and the acting, when not charismatically lukewarm, holds a few high points (Hopkins, before he started to become the apathetic, approaching-senility oldie he so keenly plays here).

Margot at the Wedding (2007)

Darkly delightful, though lacks a center

[6/10 · 21 February 2008]

Perceptively written neurotic charmer from dysfunctional family expert Noah Baumbach has a script flying with mental energy that does provide plenty of fast and furious, pleasingly bleak moments, but as a whole adds up to little more then an uninspired, self-absorbed character study which neither illuminates nor insults these character's realities. The impressive but overworked script reeks of intellectual fondling, exploiting psychological traits but often skipping an underlying depth required to make the dysfunction feel genuine.

As much as the film tries harder then it actually delivers, it's brisk pace, some smart acting, and breakneck ego-isms should keep certain viewers entertained, such as those impressed by Baumbach's stronger Squid and Whale. Margot at the Wedding's hysterics may feel a little forced compared to his debut's more natural, yet equally warped tone, but in between some overwrought antics lies a noticeable amount of individually powerful moments and sentiment.