Mr Brooks

Kevin Costner, Demi Moor, Dane Cook, William Hurt

2007, Element Films and Relativity Media

Costner playes Mr. Brooks, a wealthy philanthropist who also happens to be a serial killer. Think Bruce Wayne gone horribly horribly wrong. And while I wouldn't consider it "the BEST work of Costner's career" (particularly because I think his best role ever was in Fandango) I would consider it a very good performance.

William Hurt, who is wooden at best, is great in his character as the murderous alter-ego of Costner's Mr. Brooks. Hurt is the imp of the perverse, the aspect of Brooks that makes him kill - but yet, Mr. Brooks is fully cognizant of what he is doing and thus carries full moral responsibility. Therefore, you couldn't ever say that this was a Jekyll-Hyde movie, or any MPD, for that matter, but rather, a movie about a pair of killers, who both happen to share the same body. That, for me, was the most entertaining aspect of the movie, the interplay between Mr. Brooks and Marshall (played by Hurt): they banter, they laugh together, they argue, each sees something that the other doesn't see, and they look out for each other.

The rest of the movie was, for me, extraneous - the annoying "serial killer apprentice," the Demi Moore detective, even Mr. Brooks's daughter (who "has the same disease" - meaning she's got the serial-killer gene) all that rather detracted from the addiction vs. internal turmoil theme. Or perhaps that part was just brought out so well that it made the rest of the movie pale by comparison.

Either way, it's a good movie to watch - be careful, though, it'll lull you into some moments and then hit you with some gore - well done, but surprising. (hope that's not too much of a spoiler)

VG

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy, Rhona Mitra

2009

In fact, it just opened yesterday, and I think this makes the first time I've actually blogged a movie that was still showing. Usually I bring you fare that's been out for several years (but then, I think that's the charm of my blog as compared to all those other "timely" movie critics - I mean, it's EASY for them to state their impressions about a film, right when it's still fresh on everybody's mind - it's rather difficult to review a movie properly when it's five years old. Either nobody knows what I'm talking about or they already have their preconceived notions)

Whatever, I took the wife to see this one, because we loved the first movie, still liked the second one, and we'd had a tough week this week, lot of stress at work, and I says to her I says, "Listen honey, what you need to relax is some good old fashioned vampire/werewolf lashin'!"

Well, we got the vampires and the werewolves and the lashin', but to be honest it wasn't all that good. Seriously, this had the look and feel of Bloodrayne (which was rather cheap knockoff of old 80's Conan movies, only as a vampire) and the editing stunk. I'm telling you, there was no rhyme or reason to the cuts, it was completely incomprehensible. Visually it was simply stultifying. You couldn't understand the fight scenes - and fight scenes are the simplest scenes to understand: hacking with swords = creatures die. Fine. And yes, we have plenty of swords slicing through werewolves, chopping of limbs and torsoes, but in each fight scene you can't tell who's hacking what or whom or where or when. It's just a mess.

And personally, I didn't like the whole idea of the prequel. Any fan of the Underworld series already knows the origin: Viktor killed his own daughter because she fell in love with Lucian, the werewolf, and Viktor considered that an abomination to nature. Viktor down the line changes Kate Beckinsale into a vampire instead of having her as dinner because she reminded him of the daughter. Basically, the story has already been integrated into the other two movies, and we really don't need to see it played out. This is one of those "sometimes" in the phrase "Sometimes, less is more."

This was an unnecessary movie. Didn't need to be made.

That being said, I have to state that the bright spot is, of course, Nighy, who is simply one of the coolest badasses you'll ever see. I kid you not, if this franchise had caught on like the Star Wars franchise, then Viktor as a name would have equal footing with Darth Vadar in our common popular culture.

That, and Sheen played a good role, and Rhona Mitra

. . . well, she's simply steamin'!

With that, I better go, 'lest the wife read this post and sends me out of doors to sleep with the wolves!

VG

Tim Burton's Corpse Bride

Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter (voices)

Tim Burton, director

2005

Simply the words "Tim Burton" should let you know that this is a must-see. And, while it cannot compare to his Nightmare Before Christmas or James and the Giant Peach, it's still fantastic. Because one of the truisms of this media is that even the worst Tim Burton is better than everybody else. Case in point with Corpse Bride - not his particular best in this genre, but far and away it is well-crafted, edifying, visually stunning, and yes, my friends - emotionally fulfilling.

Not bad for a movie about a bunch of rotting corpses. It's just funny to think that.



















And yes, you would have to be dead yourself not to notice the obvious device that the world of the living is continually portrayed in dull black and white, somber and shadows, whereas the world of the dead is colourful (emerald greens, ruby reds, sky blues). And, of course, there is the final lesson that love truly does overcome all obstacles.

Beautiful movie, definitely watch it. Good for all ages, too, except there might be a few strong words in there.











Also, interesting note, as I was looking for the movie stills to entertain you, I found that you can actually buy Hallowe'en costumes. Yes, that's right, you can go dressed up as the Corpse Bride, rib cage and all. I wonder if it comes complete with talking maggot.



VG

Holes

Walt Disney Pictures (c) 2003

Screenplay by Louis Sachar, based on his book

If you haven't seen or read Holes by this time, then you have been living under a cultural rock, just like a yellow-spotted lizard. Honestly, the book should be required reading in middle school - forget all that Nightjohn and Because of Winn-Dixie stuff they force on our 'tweens, THIS is the book,

but the movie is just as good, simply because Sachar was allowed to write the screenplay, which kept intact the content of the book. Perhaps it was easy for him to translate it to the screen simply because it was such a tight story.

The book surprised me when I read it, because he kept his fanciful imagination under wraps (unlike the Wayside School stories, which I also feel should be required reading for 3rd through 5th grades) and produced a story that works on so many different levels.

The movie keeps all that - it's a great solid foundation for all families, all ages. The added plus is that the lead role is perfect for Shia LeBeouf's acting style - which is typically dazed and slightly clueless. Truly, this guy hasn't acted as well in any movie since.

Weaver, Voight, and Nelson - splendid in their roles as the baddies, playing them vividly right up to the point of comical, and some would say they never cross the line into caricature, but I think they do, but then I think that's also appropriate to the story.

If anyone can find it, there was also an interview on NPR with Sachar in Tulsa a few months ago, when he won an award from the Tulsa City-County Library (the interview was on Studio Tulsa) in which he commented on the screenplay, how different it was from writing the novel, etc. and one of the most interesting points was when he said that one actor and he spent an entire night inventing a history for the character (note: he'd already spoken about Voigt's character and so I'm assuming the actor is Tim Blake Nelson), but Sachar was impressed that this actor wanted to invent such a detailed history, something that would never come across in the movie, nor did it need to be, but that it was something for him to use to breathe more life into the lines that he was speaking. I think it gave Sachar (and subsequently, to me, the listener) a greater respect for the craft of acting.

Interesting stuff, these various art media!

VG