Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay 
2008 / Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg > Let's just keep it simple and say this is an out and out absurdity of a film. There, that makes things easier. Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay won't win Oscars (nor it should), but it does things that keep you glued to the screen until the end—even through an unbelievable sequence involving George W. Bush where you can't help but smile. Doogie Howser is all kinds of crazy, and Kumar's math poetry just makes you tear a little. There is, however, definitely a generational gap in the film that scours it away from a significant amount of moviegoers, and those who are easily offended will probably switch off within the first half hour.
The Spiderwick Chronicles 
2008 / Mark Waters > On a small scale, The Spiderwick Chronicles works just fine, but considering the onslaught of fantasy genre blockbusters, it's a bit harder to swallow the film's lack of scope. One of the key reasons the genre works so well is the mythos that backs every fantasy world, but in this case, it gets reduced to a miniature description that we're forced to swallow as if it meant something. Not a terrible effort, but not something that you'll want to stand in line for the sequel to.
The Oxford Murders 
2008 / Alex de la Iglesia > The Oxford Murders is a mostly forgettable, unimaginative thriller that tries to dumb down The Da Vinci Code into a mathematical trick. Elijah Wood is woefully miscast and Leonor Watling's there for mostly her naked body behind a lonely kitchen apron. The twists and turns are ludicrous on the back of a surprisingly bad effort for de la Iglesia's follow-up to the enjoyable The Perfect Crime.
Son of Rambow 
2008 / Garth Jennings > The great thing about Son of Rambow is that it feels less like a kid's movie and more like the movie you want to watch at an older age that makes you feel like a kid again. It's got a lot of subtle storytelling tactics that give you a layer on top of what you see, often catalyzed by personal experiences of family and growing up. All the performances are great, though newcomer Will Poulter definitely needs some additional praise for his portrayal of the bad boy with a big heart--and it seems like he'll be getting some more attention with rumors that he's been cast in the upcoming Narnia sequels. For Jennings, this is quite a departure from his first feature film attempt in A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but it definitely seems to be his area of comfort, and I definitely look forward to whatever he brings us next.
In Bruges
2008 / Martin McDonagh > For all the awesomeness that In Bruges has going for it (and by awesomeness, I'm inclined to say the absolute barrage of political incorrectness), it does make me wonder why McDonagh takes such a sensationalist and overdone method of resolution as he does. However, cheers to him for taking the Colin Farrell out of Colin Farrell and for making Ralph Fiennes one of those guys you love to hate to love to hate. All in all, it's a good time but sadly not the cult classic it could have become with a couple of tweaks. But the film does the city of Bruges quite a good service by making sure viewers such as myself check out hotel pricing on a whim for the so-called "most medieval" city in the world. (Trust me, even for a small city, the current exchange rates for the dollar does none of us any favors.)
Charlie Bartlett
2008 / Jon Poll > While there's no doubt that Anton Yelchin is a youngster to watch, not much can be said of the manner in which Gustin Nash's screenplay takes the interesting and turns it into a play by the numbers coming-of-age story that fails to find what it started out looking for. Charlie Bartlett does get some refreshment from Hollywood's current darling Robert Downey, Jr., in a rather pitying role of an alcoholic principal-cum-father. If there's one way to sum up why the film doesn't work in the end, it's that everything happens too easily, with disregard to reality, and that, for a film that's trying to find the uniqueness within a cultural subtext, is a small tragedy.
The Incredible Hulk
2008 / Louis Leterrier > The most impressive thing about The Incredible Hulk isn't the fact that it's actually good, but that Marvel was able to eat the mistake that Ang Lee made and reboot the series in five short years. Not only does it show that the movie-going audiences have surprisingly short-term memories, but also that a storied franchise need not be bogged down by a misfire. That being said, Zak Penn's script is more on par with his first X-Men 2 effort than Elektra, and Leterrier has targeted a good blend of action and drama while respect Hulk's fanbase. Now it'll be interesting to see if Hulk returns as a good guy or bad guy in the upcoming Avengers movie.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
2008 / Steven Spielberg > Some of the scenes make no sense, the writing is mediocre and often laughable and the ending messes with the whole mystique of the Indiana Jones series. But those minor, silly things aside, the damn thing is still a lot of fun to watch. It's kind of hard to consider it in the same vein as the originals (especially when Raiders of the Lost Ark can legitimately stand up as a classic), but it was never meant to be taken seriously. Not with Shia LeBeouf and a 65 year-old Harrison Ford. But there were still moments of old Indy greatness, hidden here and there, and that's pretty much all we could ask.
Be Kind Rewind
2008 / Michel Gondry > The bar's up pretty high after Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Science of Sleep, but this what it is on purpose: lighthearted, sentimental and while a bit ill-paced, generally enjoyable. Though Jack Black is on the edge of annoying, the rest of the cast holds the film together in a very communal way. The movie recreations are alone enough reason this as they serve up the genius of Gondry in small, snack portions instead of a whole meal at once.
The Happening 
2008 / M. Night Shyamalan > Obvious, insulting and intensely disappointing in that we may have the technical skills of such a crafty director wasted by his delusions of grandeur. Everything Shyamalan has done since The Sixth Sense has been filled with a sense of greatness that simply isn't there. I excused both Unbreakable (because on a small scale, it made sense to me) and Signs (because i gave it the benefit of the doubt), but the last three have gone further into the ground in insulting the viewer's intelligence. The Happening is ridiculous in its message, the way that a kindergarten student would tell an adult to not waste electricity. The script and acting? Just leave this one alone.
4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days
2007 / Cristian Mungiu > There's something that's in the minds of the Cannes juries, year after year, that I just can't figure out. It's as if their choice for the Palm d'Or has to be this significant social statement that future filmgoers will always appreciate and respect. (After all, who, in retrospect, is not ashamed that Fahrenheit 9/11 walked away with the top prize in 2004?) 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days is a good film, but it's also filled with one egregious flaw that arguably discounts the whole statement of the film. While I can't give it away, I can imagine the scene being a sticking point for almost everyone who watches it.
Technically, this so-called Romanian New Wave seems to follow works of the Brothers Dardenne with its claustrophic camerawork and frantic pacing as if to give a sense of realism that's supposedly gone missing from cinema. Here, however, one could argue that the reason realism has become modified in film is because film is an escapist medium, not one to transport us back to the moment of truth in which we already live.
But such philosophies aside, I simply can't enjoy a film that fails to give the viewer a sliver of hope. There are hints at it, but ultimately, it's all a mirage. There is no heart. There's nothing emotional that we'd want to grip onto, but rather lots that we'd like to run away from. There is, however, an incredible performance by Anamaria Marinca, who had the unfortunate luck of going up against the incomparable Jeon Do-yeon at Cannes last year. For that and to understand the infatuation with the Romanian realist movement, , the film is worth watching—though how much you enjoy it is completely up to you.
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
2007 / Jake Kasdan > A deliriously fun parody, Walk Hard doesn't ever actually stop to analyze what it's doing. The way Kasdan organized the project, it really ends up being a seamless, over-the-top yet surprisingly believable (if you were to actually try to believe) story of a rock 'n' roll superstar. John C. Reilly is completely in his element and Tim Meadows is, well, funny again. However, the extended cut is arguably too extended and ill-paced for the film to be enjoyable by the time the credits roll. The theatrical cut is clean, efficient and paced just right.
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem
2007 / The Brothers Strause > There are only a couple of reasons to see this: First, the more obvious of the two, is the fact that you finally get to see some alien on predator action. Unfortuantely it's just one predator vs. tons of aliens. Why? Well, how else would they get to set up the next sequel? Second, and less obvious, is the finale. I can't say I'm shocked by much anymore in film, but I have to say that I give The Brothers Strause immense amount of credit for holding onto their bollocks and giving the audience what they want. For once.
Vexille
2007 / Fumihiko Sori > Filled with pedigree from animation legends, Vexille is one of the most astonishingly beautiful films to come out in its medium in recent memory. But as was the case with 2001's Final Fantasy debacle, the story just can't keep up with the visual feast. Fans of quality anime have become accustomed to plots that challenge the intellect while fusing in hardcore action. While we see loads of the latter here, only shades of the former appear in disappointment.
The Bank Job
2008 / Roger Donaldson > The Bank Job is a very enjoyable heist flick that is intensely charged while it lasts, but fails to carve a niche into the history of the genre. Stylish, well-paced, the whole product is very refined, though I imagine it's not surprising since this is not, by any means, the first Jason Statham vehicle to take take on such a premise (see The Italian Job and Snatch).
Street Kings
2008 / David Ayer > Street Kings kills its suspense level and pacing before we're ready to commit, which is a bit tragic because the overall show is pretty respectable. The typical viewer ought to figure out the ending 20 minutes into the film, which is tricky because it makes us lose motivation to continue watching. However, Ayer and writer James Ellroy of L.A. Confidential fame do pull out a couple of tricks near the end that make it worth the wait. The morality tale in the film is not as well-thought out as Gone Baby Gone, but the social questions brought forth are given a new spin even if they've existed for ages.
Bart Got a Room
2008 / Brian Hecker > Bart Got a Room is a lighthearted, silly but fairly portrayed life of a teenager preparing for the high school prom. It's an obvious comedy, but its underpinnings are exaggerations based on life experiences, which tends to give it the credibility it needs to stay afloat. Steven Kaplan shows promise as the protagonist, but William H. Macy steals the show as the divorced father whose curly afro and need for womanly love take a backseat to the love for his son.
War, Inc.
2008 / Joshua Seftel > Those who are looking for John Cusack to be John Cusack, or those who want to see Hilary Duff put on an Eastern European accent and mimic Britney as popstar Yonica Babyyeah, War, Inc. is a good watch. But if it's biting political satire that is being sought, it's probably better to go back to Bulworth or Wag the Dog because this script doesn't know what it wants to be or who it wants to offend. It's heavy-handed and a total waste of a good setup considering how relevant the film could be in current society.
Teeth
2008 / Mitchell Lichtenstein > While the idea behind Teeth is a boy's worst nightmare, the failed opportunity at making something bigger, more interesting and/or important out of the story is arguably much worse. Jess Weixler puts in a nice enough performance on a script that is light on ideas, heavy on redundancy. It doesn't stick as either a horror film or a character study, but may do its job as a quaint little public service announcement for abstinence.
10,000 BC
2008 / Roland Emmerich > Talk about making Apocalypto look like a bloody masterpiece. 10,000 BC is a ridiculous waste of a $105mn budget even if the CGI looks fantastic. The pacing is atrocious, the editing is sloppy and the story is silly. Throw in the beautiful Camille Belle, all you have here is eye candy and nothing else. Probably a great thing to put on the television while you vacuum.
Vantage Point
2008 / Pete Travis > Vantage Point is surprisingly enjoyable, though it lacks the sort of depth that's necessary for a politically charged action/mystery to be intellectually satisfying. It's sharply cut, adequately acted and has enough semblance of a story to forget that beneath this tiger, there's actually no engine.
Cloverfield
2008 / Matt Reeves > Effectively an extra-long episode of The O.C. with a monster in it, Cloverfield uses and abuses the amateur camera technique to a level where it's more annoying than satisfying. But the worst thing about the film may be that it tries to put the lives of people who we really could care less about above the story of the monster, which is a terrible, terrible waste of opportunity.
Horton Hears a Who!
2008 / Jimmy Hayward & Steve Martino > It feels like it's been a long time since I've seen an animated film this simple and innocent yet so enjoyable. Aside from all the logical messes that may exist in Horton Hears a Who! (after all, this is based on a Dr. Seuss story), the silly but smart humor, the optimism and hope and the succinct running time make it one of the best family films to come out in some time.
Open City
2008 / Lee Sang-ki > Open City is effectively a showcase for Son Ye-jin and her costume designer. Her dresses are smart and sexy, a couple of things the film completely fails at. It's bad enough that the story centers around pickpocketing gangs, it's even worse than it takes itself so seriously that it never achieves the level of depth or structure necessary to justify its silly premise. It arguably tried to piggyback on the success of Tazza domestically, but fell very short with its superfluous melodrama and undeveloped characters.
Raptor
2007 / Jim Wynorski > "What's that?" The magical phrase is, according to the director Wynorski's count, uttered at least 18 times in the film. What could that be? It's sheer brilliance, I tell you. From the opening deaths of idyllic teenagers lost in the arid caves of Utah, I knew I was in for a special treat. It didn't mean much that the film echoed scenes from the famed Jurassic Park contemporary Carnosaur—these were obviously of much higher budget, especially when the screen turns green to identify with the raptors' point of view. (Yes, that was plural. There are multiple raptors in the film! Have you invited your friends over yet?!)
Wynorski, also known as Jay Andrews and H. R. Blueberry, is the man behind a substantial amount of late night Cinemax classics such as Alabama Jones and the Busty Crusade and The Bare Wench Project. In Raptor, he hones his technical mastery with the help of master filmmaker Roger Corman. The final product is a seamless composite of what feels like three, four or even five films! But in reality, it is only one. Anyone who has told you otherwise has been deceived into belittling the good names of Wynorski and Corman. Why else would Golden Globe-nominated Corbin Bernsen take a key role as the evil Mr. Hyde?
I do have a minor complaint: Blonde bombshell Melissa Brasselle (who is currently starring in Danny Bonaduce's VH1 cult-hit I Know My Kid's a Star) is a bit of a distraction from the glorious beauty of the raptors. For some reason, Wynorski strategically decided to utilize her in rather tight-fitting outfits and in scandalous positions, often opposite the splendid Eric Roberts. Roberts, by the way, hasn't been this spot on since the original Best of the Best. The manner in which he battles the alpha raptor in the end makes Sigourney Weaver look like an absolute chump in Aliens. "Take that, Barney!" might be one of the most important lines of our lifetime, as many of us grew up thinking and wanting to do similar violent acts to our purple-furred friend.
What Spielberg started, Wynorski and Corman have finished. There can be no other film about raptors after this. It is conclusive evidence that we should not meddle with our genes or stem cell research because all it will do is kill the neighborhood kids, your daughter's boyfriend, your co-worker, that guy who drives the truck full of chickens across state borders so that illegally implanted raptor babies can be kept in a cage away from society, Corbin Bernsen and lots of really mean looking military guys. Raptor is a cinematic achievement that parallels Fellini's 8½ in innovation, and supercedes the science-fiction philosophy of 2001. (It's also better than many films that don't contain numbers in their titles.) Thanks for the recommendation Lucid Screening.
