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Movie Reviews From A Family Perspective
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titles released after July 2005.
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Killer
Diller
King Kong
Kite Runner, The
Kung-Fu Panda
William Lee Scott, Lucas Black, Fred Willard, Lawrence Lowe, Ronreaco Lee, Ashley Johnson, Niki J. Crawford. Bulwark Entertainment. Writer/director Tricia Brock. In limited release beginning 4/28/06.
Through an arrangement with the sheriff, Wesley Benfield (William Lee Scott), a repeat car thief is released from jail into the hands of Back on Track Again House, a halfway house for throwaway youths in the rural college town of Fayette, Missouri. The house is run by devout Baptist Ned Sears (Fred Willard) who immediately gets the youngster involved in their choir, a spiritless group made up of other indentured delinquents.
During one of their outings to entertain at a retirement home, Wesley encounters Vernon (Lucas Black), a quirky local suffering from a form of autism, who “drives” through town in his make-believe vintage Plymouth. But Vernon also happens to be a talented piano player, gifted in church music and the blues. Soon after this chance meeting, the choir finds itself with a new piano player. Vernon’s ability and passion quickly rejuvenates the other members.
I wouldn’t want to give the impression that this is a “church” film meant to evangelize. Indeed, some of my Baptist brothers are going to shift uneasily in their seats when the choir’s mini-skirted lead singer gyrates to the group’s rousing blues number done at a Christian convention. However, the film contains some positive examples of the Christian walk, as well as some not so. The cartoonish college president doesn’t behave in a Christ-like manner, but the lead, a James Dean-ish rebel, speaks up for Christ when a couple of fellow inmates belittle those of faith. There are several other positive messages, including looking out for one another and sacrificing for others. Funny, touching, charming, this art house film is in limited release and worth looking for. To find out where and when it will reach your area, go to www.killerdillermovie.com.
PG (There are 4 or obscenities and two times Jesus’ name is misused; brief barroom brawl. Vernon has a bad reaction when he’s criticized and goes into a fit; a mini-skirted college-aged girl moves provocatively when singing. The lead makes out with a girl he just met in a bar; there are a couple of sexual innuendos; the young lead has a drink in a bar; Vernon’s father is anti-church and rough as a cob, but as the story progresses, he becomes more dimensional and learns as many lessons as the younger people. Though there is some language and a bit of sexual tease, the material is not meant to be exploitive, but there to reflect a rebellious you who eventually matures. The film has several positive messages).
Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody, Andy Serkis, Thomas Kretschmann, Colin Hanks and Kyle Chandler. Universal. Drama adventure. W- Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens. D-Peter Jackson. Opens 12/14/05
Three-time Academy
Award® winner Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the
King) writes and directs this remake about the mighty monkey with a taste
for blondes. His screenplay, done with Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, is
based on the original story by Merian C. Cooper and Edgar Wallace, which
became the classic 1933 RKO Radio Pictures film, directed by adventurers
Cooper and Ernest B. Schoesdack. (There are several tips of the hat to the
original.)
The approach and landing on Skull Island in the original is classic and Jessica
Lange in the 1976 remake looks great in cut-offs, but Mr. Jackson has done
the remarkable. He has not just made this year’s best action adventure,
but breathed life into the giant ape genre. He brings dimension and color to
both the dialogue and story, while fleshing out his characters, both live and
computer generated. It’s a morality piece, warning us about the allure
of fame, money and power. At the same time it’s a cheeky, bombastic thrill
ride.
That’s not my review. It’s the opinion of an acquaintance of mine, a film buff whose opinion I respect. And it seemed to be the consensus of the screening audience as I heard them give it an ovation during the final credits. Alas, I found it bloated. At three hours in length, that’s the word for it.
The original came in at around 86 minutes and contained all the same elements and scenes, including meeting the characters, traveling to Skull Island, facing an angry mob of sacrificing natives, the introduction of Kong and his battle with giant lizards, and of course, the finale dogfight between the planes and Kong as he ascends the Empire State Building. But in Jackson’s version, every scene is padded, causing the action to not just slow down but abruptly stop. And in keeping with today’s audience acceptance quotients, there is a great deal of profanity and lots of gruesome deaths.
Jack Black seemed miscast with those wild eyes and his cartoonish behavior, and though Naomi Watts is a beautiful woman (she looks like the younger sister of Nicole Kidman), why can’t she close her mouth. A woman’s parted lips is an alluring image, but Ms. Watts goes through the entire production with her mouth open as if the lower jaw had been separated. Nearly every scene has her looking up in awe, her mouth agape, exposing her two prominent front teeth.
Then there are the natives. Is that word politically incorrect? Well, how about Peter Jackson making each of the island dwellers look like the demonic Golem from his Lord of the Rings movies. These are a scary bunch (parents beware, there are a lot of scary scenes).
The filmmaker stuffs the film with every CP effect imaginable, and gives the battle scenes an engrossing energy, as well as gross-out visuals. For example, one of the crew has his head devoured by some succubus that leaches onto his cranium until the entire head is covered. We hear his screams from under the glob that resembled a Chinese dim sum come to life. It’s pretty gross. Fourteen-year-old boys will most likely find it cool. To each his own.
The film’s message: Women are a lot of trouble. Well, we already knew that. (Kidding ladies, just kidding.)
PG-13 (around 20 misuses of God’s name and that of Christ’s from the film’s heroes; a few crude sexual comments; while we see Ms. Watts in a nightgown that reveals much leg, there are no sexual situations; the film gets its rating for the language and the violence; there are many scary scenes featuring demonic-looking villains and many battle scenes with Kong having to protect Ms. Watts from every jurassic beast known to the History Channel; there are several well-done but very intense chase scenes and instances where the ship’s crew are stomped or devoured by menacing creatures; some of the deaths are extremely graphic and gory; and if you found the Golem character in Lord of the Rings to be frightening to kids, beware that here there’s a whole tribe of similar demonic beings).
Video Alternative: King Kong. The 1933 version with that incredible screamer Fay Wray is now on DVD with four hours of entertaining extras.
Shaun Toub, Kahlid Abdalla, Nasser Memarzia. Paramount Vantage Written
By David Benioff. Directed by Marc Forster. Opens 12/14/07
FILM SYNOPSIS: Based on one of the most acclaimed novels in recent memory, The Kite Runner is a profoundly emotional tale of friendship, family, devastating mistakes and redeeming love. In a divided country on the verge of war, two childhood best friends, Amir and Hassan, are about to be torn apart forever. It’s a glorious afternoon in Kabul and the skies are bursting with the exhilarating joy of an innocent kite-fighting tournament. But in the aftermath of the day’s victory, one boy’s fearful act of betrayal will set in motion a catastrophe … and an epic quest for redemption. Now, after 20 years of living in America, Amir returns to a perilous Afghanistan under the Taliban’s iron-fisted rule to face the dark secrets that still haunt him and take one last daring chance to set things right.
REVIEW: This isn’t a family-outing movie. It’s not for kids, not with its adult subject matter, which ranges from wartime atrocities to the sexual abuse of a child. But it may be the most moving film I’ve seen concerning the nature of true friendship. Christ spoke of such friendship, the kind willing to lay down one’s own life for another. And just when you think good storytelling is dead, (many producers having turned to special effects and car chases in order to further plot-development), along comes a grownup adventure, one that puts a face on people of another land and reminds us of just how much we have in America.
It’s sometimes difficult to view, but sometimes those are the scenes we learn the most from about the world and ourselves. Nothing is done to be exploitive, and even the most brutal moments are handled with far more discretion than most filmmakers would apply.
One of the most powerful films of the year, The Kite Runner is storytelling at its best.
PG-13 (two obscenities and two profane uses of God’s name; communists are pictured as ruthless and a constant threat; a dead man is seen left hanging; a man is brutally beaten; it is implied strongly that children are being sold into sex slavery; a child is brutalized by other boys, who rape him – it is not an overly graphic scene, but painful to view; another boy is forced to dance for the amusement of a pervert; we see blood several times; There are no sex scenes, though a child is raped; child slavery for sexual purposes is portrayed; it is implied that there are some exploiters of children who prefer male slaves; a couple of sexual conversations, handled with discretion; social drinking on a few occasions; it is implied that one father has a drinking problem; again, I want to point out, some of this content is rough to view, but it is there to point out travesties that happened daily throughout the world).
Running Time: 127 min.
Intended Audience: Older teens and adults, not for immature
viewers.
Voices: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu,
Ian McShane, David Cross, Seth Rogen, Michael Clarke Duncan, James Hong, Randall
Duk Kim, Dan Fogler. DreamWorks Animation S.K.G. Directed by John Stevenson
Mark Osborne. Opens 6/6/08
FILM SYNOPSIS: Enthusiastic, big and a little clumsy,
Po is the biggest fan of Kung Fu around...which doesn't exactly come in handy
while working every day in his family's noodle shop. Unexpectedly chosen
to fulfill an ancient prophecy, Po's dreams become reality when he joins
the world of Kung Fu and studies alongside his idols, the legendary Furious
Five -- Tigress, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey -- under the leadership
of their guru, Master Shifu. But before they know it, the vengeful and treacherous
snow leopard Tai Lung is headed their way, and it's up to Po to defend everyone
from the oncoming threat. Can he turn his dreams of becoming a Kung Fu master
into reality? Po puts his heart - and his girth - into the task, and the
unlikely hero ultimately finds that his greatest weaknesses turn out to be
his greatest strengths.
REVIEW: “It’s a blessing…and a
curse.” That’s Mr. Monk’s assessment of his detecting
abilities. It’s kinda the same for a film critic. Every
time reviewers attend a sci-fi film, we are looking for The Day the Earth
Stood Still, or His Girl Friday for a comedy of the sexes. And
when it comes to animated comedies meant to amuse the entire family, we’re
hoping for a Toy Story or a Chicken Run, or an Incredibles,
or Little Nemo, or at least A Bug’s Life. So
when we see an effort such as Kung Fu Panda, we are let down despite
the positives.
This newest animated adventure has lots of color, lots of movement and plenty of child-baiting slapstick, but it’s a piffle, not much to it. There are some laughs, Jack Black’s slant on life still amuses the masses. It’s mostly suitable for all ages, but there is quite a bit of violent imagery, from slapstick buffoonery to martial arts battling against an unstoppable foe. It may entertain indiscriminating kids, and the message – the magic is in you – seems innocuous enough, but I was hoping for great, only to get ho-hum.
PG (the lead hit in the groin, but generally it avoids crudity; it’s a very aggressive film, with much violent imagery, ranging from slapstick buffoonery to battle sequences with a vengeful foe; Eastern philosophies are vaguely referred to and intermingled into the slapstick comedy).
Running Time: 95 min.
Intended Audience: Family
© 2008 Good News Tucson™