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Rand-McNally
Reviews
Lost in La Mancha (2002)
Movies like this don't come along too often
So I saw "Lost in La Mancha" last night which was good, not great. I don't think it should be tops on all these critic's lists like it has been lately, but it is very interesting and there are a lot of positive things going on in the movie. I think a lot of critics don't know what to do when they see a documentary movie like this. I thought that maybe this would be something better suited for an hour long special on IFC or TLC or something. I give it *** out of **** stars. "La Mancha" comes off looking like a television show some of the time. The footage that they do show you lets the viewer know that this movie was going to be a Gilliam classic. Johnny Depp arguing with a fish, the giants, and the actor who plays Don Quixote are all things that come to mind. So pretty much all the footage they had looked excellent. Not having certain actors under contract within 4 weeks of filming, using military training grounds, the rain washing out everything, airplanes flying overhead, an awful sound stage, and the French actor who plays Quixote coming down with a slew of medical problems are all things that hinder and eventually halt production on "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote". Watching it you get the feeling that this movie was going to be up there with "Brazil" and "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" in terms of Gilliam greatness. Watching Terry Gilliam's face as he realizes he has failed in making the movie is sad but it does end on a high point. Gilliam refuses to give up and vows much like Orson Welles did to finish his Quixote film. He plans to use revenue from this film to help get "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote" back off the ground. Hopefully Gilliam will prove to be more successful than Welles was.
I recommend this film to anyone who is interested in how a movie is put together, the works of Gilliam, the works of Monty Python alums, and in Miguel De Cervantes book "Don Quixote". It is also interesting to see the many parallels between Quixote and Gilliam. This movie is his windmill that he still hasn't defeated, let's hope he does.
Blue Crush (2002)
Better than I was expecting...
Ok, going into this movie, I did not have the highest of expectations. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. Don't listen to the people on the message board. Blue Crush isn't the best movie of 2002 but it definitely isn't the worst. Kate "Why in the world did I do Rules of Attraction?" Bosworth plays Anne Marie, a young girl who is forced into the role of mother to her younger sister (played quite well by Mika Boorem) when her mom runs off to Vegas with a man. Michelle Rodriguez plays Eden, Anne Marie's coach who lives vicariously through her when it comes to surfing. Surf star Sanoe Lake makes a convincing debut as a surfer girl and this is the inner circle of friends for the movie. Most of the surfing footage is edited quite well and the only thing I found to be really cheesy is the end shot (if you've seen Blue Crush you know what I mean). Rodriguez once again plays a tough girl (can she play anything else?) who is more driven by Anne Marie's goals than Anne Marie. I could've done without the love interest side story between Anne Marie and Matt, the NFL quarterback in Hawaii for what I presume is the Pro Bowl. I get that they were drawing parallels between Anne Marie and her mother (both have men wanting to whisk them away). Extras are cast quite well and you really get to appreciate the gorgeous scenery that is Hawaii throughout the movie. On the level of a surfing movie this works. The huge waves, competition, and girls in bikinis were all quite enjoyable. The side stories weren't as good although I did enjoy the football players and their antics. In the end you really felt for Anne Marie and Bosworth does a great job carrying off the character. There was great chemistry between the 3 surfer girls and that really showed in the movie. Props for most of the cast doing as much of their own stunts as possible as well. If you like good looking kids in paradise, this is the movie for you. Some of the unneeded cheeseyness takes points away but for a mindless summertime flick, I have to endorse Blue Crush.
*DVD includes loads of extras including commentary by Bosworth, Rodriguez, and Lake who arrives late (must have been surfing) and commentary by Stockwell. Music videos, surfing terms, a behind the scenes look at the making of the film makes the extras strong.* ***7/10 stars***