LIFE AS FICTION > for the love of film / a dequinix.com externality

Doomsday

2008 / Neil Marshall > You have to give Marshall credit for trying to create an intelligent mixture of The Road Warrior and 28 Days Later, but somewhere along the way, the focus shifted away from the storyline into chases, beheadings and twists seen from a mile away. Rhona Mitra, the original Tomb Raider, fitfully shows that she had the right to star in the films of her former alter ego, and Craig Conway is superb as a chilling vision of humanity gone awry. Though generally exciting, Doomsday's premise of de-evolution in modern society never really develops into anything fresh to deserve the kind of cult status it could have achieved.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Happiness

2007 / Hur Jin-ho > Christmas in August is one of the most subtle yet poignant melodramas I've ever had the pleasure of seeing. The manner in which Hur brought forth the quiet yet powerful emotions of the leading characters was a stellar achievement in Korean filmmaking, but similar to Lee Chang-dong's infuriating effort in Secret Sunshine, Happiness is filled with the kind of manipulative plot advancement that would make Paul Haggis proud. Gone is Hur's gentle, effective touch, and found is a story where each successive sequence increases our dislike of the leading characters who we're supposed to feel pity for. The trick is to realize that good melodrama is not based on pity but rather empathy, and characters who we find to be pathetic are not generally those who we can genuinely empathize with. Happiness is not horrible by any means, but there's a level of anger present when realizing how much Hur's filmmaking is regressing with each passing work.

Shoot 'Em Up

2007 / Michael Davis > Ridiculous gun battles (including a particularly challenging one when Clive Owen and ever-wonderful Monica Bellucci are consummating their relationship), an off-the-wall performance by Paul Giamatti and a short-running time: These are the three essential elements of Shoot 'Em Up, a film that holds no notion of seriousness, even poking fun at its own ridiculous plot involving babies for stem cell research. It's a good ride, though I imagine it'll lack the replay value of better offerings this year (such as Smokin' Aces).

Hostel: Part II

2007 / Eli Roth > The original Hostel had a cold, unwavering tension in its lack of information that made it so exciting to watch. We had no idea what was going to happen or what the backstory was, so as it unfolded, we were shocked, disgusted and entertained. This sequel, however, decides to educate us on the process by which nice Americans get stuck on meathangers in Slovakia. Gone immediately is the suspense, but increased, in compensation, is the brutality. Unfortunately, these are not equal exchanges, and as the Saw series went downhill after its initial imaginative introduction, it looks like Hostel will follow a similar path.

War

2007 / Philip G. Atwell > For all its logistical shortcomings, War is still good fun. The fact that Jet Li replaces his punches and kicks with bullets is not problematic, though it'll undoubtedly disappoint some. However, some of the gunplay is fairly innovative, and the plot, while sometimes dependent on the suspension of disbelief, is considerably above average compared to similar genre flicks. Also: It doesn't hurt that in the film, Li drives a beautiful, exquisite Spyker C8 Spyder.

He Was A Quiet Man

2007 / Frank A. Cappello > There's a strange quirkiness in the way the plot develops in He Was A Quiet Man. We're never really sure if it's taking itself seriously or if the whole thing is a sham, but regardless our attention is held by a thin link founded on Christian Slater's neurotically amusing performance as an overlooked office worker in the big corporate world who just might go postal. It's odd, sometimes endearing but the premise becomes sillier and sillier as the film wears on until we're left wondering what exactly is the message that's being delivered.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

2007 / Tim Burton > I very much enjoy Burton's work, but am generally not a fan of musicals. This puts me into a sort of dilemma where I find myself only half-appreciating the meticulously crafted Sweeney Todd. Musicals generally tend to have fairly simple stories that are buffered by lyricism and melody, but when those aren't high on one's priority list, the foundation of the film falls off. Now, I can only hope that his forthcoming Alice in Wonderland is not a sing-along.

The Kingdom

2007 / Peter Berg > Up until The Kingdom, Berg had quietly been making his mark on the directorial front. Very Bad Things is an often overlooked, underrated black comedy, and Friday Night Lights is undoubtedly one of the finest sports films of all-time. However, in his foray into the action/drama (as opposed to the action/comedy buddy flick The Rundown), he stumbles over a few heavy-handed messages and a fairly insulting foundation: Jamie Foxx and his FBI crew land in Saudi Arabia to investigate a civilian bombing on international soil as if the Saudi themselves are absolutely incapable of such. This type of convenience in the script is downright silly, but it doesn't stop there. The central conflict finds a magical solution at the buzzer, though Berg does add a couple of rather nice touches to make us pay attention. The Kingdom is not horrible, but it's shallow and treads thinly on deep water that could have used some further exploration.

Stardust

2007 / Matthew Vaughn > On the back of the success of Layer Cake, Vaughn's decision to take upon a tale of such fantastic proportions is both admirable and a little suspect. Gone are the calculated plotlines that made his previous venture such a joy to watch, and in their place is a messy, underachieving fantasy that's all gloss.

The film starts strong by setting up a potentially epic story of lost love and the search for the rightful ruler of a mystical kingdom, but then succumbs halfway to a mildly droning last hour where it becomes predictable and often just downright silly. In fact, most of De Niro's character is a distraction and seems as if he's given more screentime because of his big name. Claire Daines is lifeless as usual—hasn't anyone figured out that the reason she was so good in My So-Called Life was because her character was supposed to be lifeless? Throw in another pointless cameo by Ricky Gervais, and we have the recipe for a bloated project that nearly crumbles on its own weight. There was enough here to enjoy (especially some of the campy jokes), but what could have been a memorable experience instead remains something momentary.

No Reservations

2007 / Scott Hicks > Due to its bleaker foundation, No Reservations is calmer and more contemplative than most romantic comedies. It tries for poignancy without ever being able to achieve the emotions it wishes for. Thankfully, the cast and music (done aptly by Philip Glass) carries it past its testing and often predictable story. I doubt memories of the film will linger for long, but the feeling is nice while it lasts.

Planet Terror

2007 / Robert Rodriguez > Planet Terror dangerously treads the middle ground between being a genre film and a mainstream movie. In doing so, it fails to gain proper traction to exploit either end of the spectrum and fully realize its potential. While Tarantino's Death Proof has higher highs and lower lows, Rodriguez's constant barrage of zombie action never really gathers enough steam to hold one's attention. Without many surprises—unless you count Rose McGowan's M41A assault rifle for a leg, the highlight of the show that comes arguably too late—Planet Terror is ultimately too indulgent to be successful.

Death Proof

2007 / Quentin Tarantino > In Pulp Fiction, Tarantino's dialogue was fresh and exciting, but more importantly, it led to some level of character development that helped us understand the chaotic world within. In Death Proof, however, he engorges himself in dialogue that does little but waste time. Some may find it clever, but mostly it comes off pretentious and unnecessary. Thankfully, his skill in creating suspenseful action comes through gloriously in a couple of sequences that essentially justify the whole film. It's no wonder that this was cut and packaged together with Planet Terror in North American theatres: The meat here, while thin, is still quite juicy.

Secret Sunshine

2007 / Lee Chang-dong > Not sure if being Korea's Minister of Culture and Tourism has somehow taken the edge off of Lee, but Secret Sunshine is a meandering disappointment that fails to take advantage of Jeon Do-yeon's Best Actress-winning performance at Cannes. It is, in many ways, the kind of film that I absolutely abhor: One that presents problems but doesn't offer many plausible solutions.

Human perseverance is always a fantastic topic (as we've seen Frank Darabont make a career out of it), but here the theme is stretched thin with hope nowhere in sight. In Oasis and Peppermint Candy, there was a certain logic to the pain that kept our attention afloat, our minds open and our hearts beating—and then we were rewarded with brave stories of the human condition. But Secret Sunshine lacks such humanity for us to care. Even with Lee's objective incorporation of Christianity as a method of redemption, the protagonist's inherent weakness makes her continuously unlikable, unbearable and, subsequently, leaves the film (and the viewer) without a point to rally around.

Black Snake Moan

2007 / Craig Brewer > The "Black Snake Moan" scene is one of the most memorable this year, but aside from that, the film is a hard nut to crack. Brewer deserves notice for trying something different, but it may just be that he's wrapped this up in something fancy as to hide the fact that there's nothing inside at all. Surely, the story seems to unwrap that way, where by the end, nothing much has happened, but there is something almost taunting about the film that keeps you from turning away at times. Ricci is as strong as ever, Jackson is, well, himself and Timberlake, unfortunately, really drops the ball and makes me want to erase him off his scenes. Still, with Hustle & Flow and this under his belt, Brewer might be credited with a little more praise than he deserves, but thankfully his vision remains fresh and undiluted.

Sakuran

2007 / Ninagawa Mika > Having been unable to watch more than 10 minutes of Memoirs of a Geisha, I delved into Sakuran with a level of skepticism. But Ninagawa's depiction of oiran lifestyle is a drastic difference in mood, style and enjoyment. (Of note is that oiran are high-class courtesans while geisha are usually considered entertainers. As it turns out, the rise of geisha led to the eventual decline of oiran culture.) Taking a cue from Marie Antoinette, the film's best attribute may be its successful mixing in of contemporary pop music within an Edo period setting. Otherwise, the pacing isn't half-bad, and there's something magnetic about Anna Tsuchiya's portrayal of Kiyoha that finds one glued to the screen. The story itself isn't particularly novel, but as it stands, it's a fine romantic drama on its own right.

The Old Garden

2007 / Im Sang-soo > It's tough judging a new film by a director who you admire and have the highest expectations for. In that regard, The Old Garden is an undeniable disappointment, as Im lets go of his skillful satire and realism for the typical melodrama that drives most Korean films about relationships. Interesting here is the fact that this relationship is surrounded by history (more specifically, the Gwangju Massacre of 1980), and thus provides a backdrop that is less fluff and more grounded. The central theme rings true (that things change, that you must not put yourself and your sense of duty above those you love), but the full execution comes off rather flat and forced.

Cashback

2007 / Sean Ellis > I wanted to like this more than I did. It's got quite a few things going for it: An imaginative central character, heartbreak and attractive women (with insomnia thrown in for added flavor). But so much of the world that surrounds this central character lacks depth, enough so that it feels like plodding through a lot of mud to get to its basic foundation. Unfortunately, these basics, in the end, are a little too ideal and simple to be effective and memorable.

4:30

2006 / Royston Tan > Similar to short film director Tan's first feature film 15, I found myself hoping that 4:30 was at least half the timespan of its final cut. The meat here is spread quite thin, with a few poignant moments that may linger long after. The story of a boy's loneliness in the absence of a father (or in the presence of a stranger) is a worthy one, and this is one hell of a try at it. Unfortunately, attention spans are tested, and it almost seems like Tan wants us to do a considerable amount of the legwork to make it happen. And while I'm not always against doing that legwork, it would be nicer if its length was fitting.

The Lookout

2007 / Scott Frank > At a basic level, it's hard not to respect The Lookout for its relatively unique take on the heist genre. The film's move away from the standard setup theme is of interest, but the execution is sometimes flawed with staccato pacing and peripheral characters that come across extremely two-dimensional. Moreover, the gimmick of memory disorientation is utilized in a somewhat predictable way, even if the final sequence is a rather impressive one.

Spider-Man 3

2007 / Sam Raimi > I couldn't help but have high expectations for Raimi's latest venture: With the first sequel, he had fired on all cylinders. The emotions were on the dot, as was the action and the romance in-between. It was about Peter Parker, not Spider-Man or the villains. So, the third incarnation could only get better, right? Not exactly: The melodrama here is downright silly at times, and while there's definitely some fun to be had, it doesn't really satisfy in the end. In fact, if it wasn't for Venom's downright creepy, lingering presence, this would be almost unbearable.

Tazza: The High Rollers

2006 / Choi Dong-hun > Korea's second highest grossing film of 2006, Tazza comes fresh on the heels of Choi's The Big Swindle, which while predictable for much of the Western audiences, provided a fresh caper story for an underserved Korean audience. (Although here, I would argue that the much ignored Jakarta was more entertaining, if less polished.) Tazza is based on a comic about high stakes professional gamblers who may as well be magicians, and Choi wastes no time in cutting the film into incongruent timelines with twists and turns at every corner. Similar to what Nolan did with The Prestige, there came a time in the film when I basically started expecting the unexpected, so the unexpected became predictable. At nearly 140 minutes, these twists go on a bit longer than they should, almost as if trying to validate the film's seriousness, but that eventually becomes a little tenuous.

What keeps things going, as soon as you see her character Madame Jeong, is Kim Hye-soo's spellbinding performance. Some have attributed the film's success to her on-screen presence, and I imagine they may not be far off. At age 36, the curvaceous beauty continues to light up the cinema as if it were her playground, taking away the limelight from a more than credible performance from Cho Seung-woo. In the end, Tazza fails to add much new to the genre on a global perspective, but does fruitfully entertain those who remain patient.

Woman on the Beach

2006 / Hong Sang-soo > Nobody doubts that the man has skill, but even for Hong, this was a bit of a stretch. It's accessible, yes, but maybe too accessible. There's no nudity (a common, almost uncomfortable thread in his previous works) and the story is surprisingly straightforward—as usual, though, there are many layers you can peel off if you wish, but this one didn't motivate me nearly as much.

Dreamgirls

2006 / Bill Condon > Generally, I'll avoid musicals if possible, but one had to see what the hoopla was about. And Dreamgirls reminded me why I tend to avoid the sing and dance: In the middle of all the great musical numbers, costumes and sets, the depth and emotion needed for the story to stick and progress gets lost. Condon's effort here is sub-par to Chicago, but thankfully, it shines on a technical basis.

On the debate of Beyonce vs. Jennifer Hudson, it's pretty silly. Beyonce lacked script to deliver a real performance. Most of her lines were thin and unoriginal. Hudson, on the other hand, was solid but not entirely Oscar-worthy. (As of now, Kikuchi's performance in Babel takes the cake for me.) Her character felt forced, self-centered and simply annoying. I'm not doubting she doesn't have the skills, but I am saying the script kept her back. It was good, by the way, to see Murphy work some magic that we knew he always had.

As a huge fan of Motown music, this was still enjoyable at times. While the tracks were not nearly as catchy, the glitz and glamour of the girls made up for it. Taking that into effect, I would think those who are not fans of Motown or musicals will not find this nearly as appeasing.

Flushed Away

2006 / David Bowers & Sam Fell > Coming from Aardman, this is a disappointment. The men who've brought us the glorious Wallace & Gromit flicks have paired up with Dreamworks for a mediocre if adequately satisfying venture into Ratropolis. There's little meat to the story, and the emotion is almost nonexistent. Thankfully the action is solid and ought to keep one's attention for much of the ninety minutes. The voice acting is some of the best in recent memory: Kate Winslet shines by providing her voice to the female lead, a strong-willed woman determined to take good care of her family. The animation is superb, and while done in CGI, still has a lot of the effects of claymation. It won't salvage a year of weak animated films, but it's a fun ride nonetheless.

Dead or Alive

2006 / Corey Yuen > I'm not sure if I should ever expect another Fong Sai-Yuk out of Yuen, but with The Transporter and now Dead or Alive, he's slowly building up a reputation for directing some of the best no-nonsense martial arts/action flicks that are just great fun. The girls wear little clothing (although with smaller busts than their video game counterparts would suggest), there's enough plot to advance the story and Eric Roberts is the bad guy. What more could you want? Oh: There's also beach volleyball. Just the ticket for attention deficit.

Blood Diamond

2006 / Edward Zwick > And Hollywood preaches on: While this is supposed to be a lesson in how diamonds are bad for the world, Zwick forgets to erase the excesses off the drawing board. The violence here is generally appropriate, but the story comes to a standstill too often. Cutting off 45 minutes from the film would do it wonders (because I'm certain we'll survive without hearing DiCaprio wheeze for 25 of them).

The melodrama is suffocating, with blatant right/wrong arguments that are just too silly. For that, the story itself is fairly inaccurate and makes the Sierra Leone rebels look unnecessarily barbaric. Nonetheless, the first hour is quite strong and for a while I was thinking that this may be one of the better films of the year. DiCaprio impresses even with a weak script, but Connelly fails to show up. Hounsou is effective. It could have done more, but for that, it ought to have tried less.

Man Push Cart

2006 / Ramin Bahrani > With a mood similar to Hou Hsiao-Hsien, Bahrani almost pulled off a coup of sorts here: He nails the loneliness, the colors, the feel of the city, but ultimately fails to stay true to its nature. Man Push Cart, ironically, should be called Man Pull Cart as we rarely see our protagonist push it, but that's excusable. What's not are the pretty girl at the newsstand and the absolutely preposterous climactic sequence. It's a joke to someone familiar with the churns of the city, and complicates the film even if put in a metaphorical context. The potential here was enormous, but the film ended up getting carried away in its own little world with absolute disregard to the viewer.

Beerfest

2006 / Jay Chandrasekhar > After their hilarious misadventures in Super Troopers, I've come to expect a decent amount from the troupe at Broken Lizard. And while Beerfest is only a slight step above the somewhat misguided slashfest Club Dread, it still delivers on the basics of what it promises: beer, breasts and (male) bonding. What it lacks compared to its cops-brethren is a formidable opponent, without which a comedy of this styling can fall pretty flat. So, while Beerfest has the necessary ingredients for success, its mentally-diminutive German foes keep the film from holding its liquor until the very end.

Deja Vu

2006 / Tony Scott > For a film that deals with folding the time-space continuum, there is great irony in its predictability. But there is credit to be given to Tony Scott for getting off the speed and rejoining the human race after the dismal Domino. The sober and tactical directing of Man on Fire is nearly back, but with an unusual dose of science fiction thrown in. More specifically, the Hummer on the highway is arguably one of the finest science fiction/action sequences ever put on film. If only that level of imagination were present throughout, it would have been a considerably more memorable adventure, plot holes or not.

Viva Erotica

1996 / Derek Yee > There's something strangely charming about this satire about the Hong Kong Category III—or softcore porn—industry. It's not the naive and sexy Shu Qi, although that certainly helps. And it's not exactly Leslie Cheung's pinning down of his semi-aloof failed-director-forced-to-go-softcore character either. It has more to do with Derek Yee's ability to make fun of both himself as well as the industry as a whole while still trying to convey a serious message. It's unfortunate that the production quality is a little subpar, and some of the comedy comes across a little forced. Otherwise, this is a Hong Kong gem that's considerably more intelligent than its peers.

The Break-Up

2006 / Peyton Reed > Both Hollywood and the independent film market have generally been a little less than successful in dissecting relationships without pretension. Recent ventures Closer, Prime and the Korean Rules of Dating have been considerably more successful by taking a more mature perspective. While a valiant effort in the same vein, the problem with The Break-Up is its failure in keeping a straight face by delving into cheap laughs. Maybe this is an issue with the casting of Vince Vaughn, whose nature is befitting of such humor, but unfortunately it creates a lack of focus that slows the film down. Not only is the humor often forced, but the film also becomes predictable in its obstacles. The idea is there, the overall execution is good but some of the meat, in the end, is quite rotten and should be excised.

A Dirty Carnival

2006 / Yu Ha > Arguably a casualty of high expectations, Yu Ha's follow up to Once Upon a Time in High School and Marriage is a Crazy Thing ultimately fails to deliver. The first half runs very much like a Scorsese-inspired gangster drama, unfolding with a mixture of monetary issues, family camaraderie and dealings within the hierarchy of a mafia-esquence organization. However, the primary underlying conflict that Yu develops as the film goes on feels a little silly. In progression, problems are created out of thin air even before existing problems are resolved. While succeeding in remaining poetic and refined, A Dirty Carnival is undoubtedly his weakest entry of the decade.

Dog Bite Dog

2006 / Cheang Soi > Violence for the sake of violence has become a bit of a bore lately. So, once in a while, we get a film tha tries to justify its grotesque level of blood and gore as if there's a greater meaning to it all. Sometimes it succeeds (see Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance). But as is the case with Dog Bite Dog, chances of a failure is more probable. The glue for the film are the acting feats pulled off by one of the pretty boys of Hong Kong here: Edison Chen, and the immaculate conception of dramatic skills by the usually effervescent Sam Lee in his role as a misunderstood cop hot on the trail of the aforementioned Mr. Chen.

The film is not completely without merit. The violence is gruesome, but at times you can't help but feel for both sides of the law. The line between good and bad is not often clear, and some of the situations the characters face are surreal enough that it's hard to put one's self in such a position. Unfortunately, the film is plagued by an elongated ending that stretches beyond a reasonable conclusion and holds the viewer at a standstill for what is, essentially, a filler finale.

13 (Tzameti)

2006 / Gela Babluani > A true testament of a great film is its replayability; however, with 13 (Tzameti), it feels like once you know the central plot twist (which has been widely given away in trailers and other promotional material), the film is an ultrapredictable romp through what is essentially a derivative, somewhat hollow script by first-time director Babluani. His filmmaking skills, however, are not in doubt. As a debut feature of a 26 year-old, the film is technically superb and warrants attention to be placed on his future projects.

Silent Hill

2006 / Christophe Gans > At the hands of the director of Brotherhood of the Wolf, I expected more: At the very least, I imagine, a level of depth that gives meaning to the film outside of its video game universe. The tone of the film evolves from abject horror early on to a psychological metaphor of oppression and injustice. And while that may be a brilliant wavelength to follow, the underlying foundation doesn't satisfy. Once I got past the so-called conventions of a proper film, however, the perverse beauty of the villains and their inversely gorgeous surroundings, together with a polished shine on the overall product, combine into a relatively memorable experience for an otherwise mediocre event.

A Scanner Darkly

2006 / Richard Linklater > It's pretty simple: Without the witty back-and-forth prose/dialogue that Philip K. Dick originally wrote in his short story, A Scanner Darkly would be half the film it is. This banter, often engaged by the characters of Woody Harrelson and Robert Downey, is what keeps much of the film from being a snoozefest. Keanu Reeves is innocuous as usual, which takes away from the level of impact a character like his could have had. The rotoscoping works exactly as intended, and should truly be noted for its creative flexibility as well as its budget-cutting capabilities. As for the basic plot and climatic sequence, it's all a bit too cliche for this day and age. The final feel of the film is a nice, contemplative one, but that comes only after one hasn't dozed off somewhere in between.

Edmond

2006 / Stuart Gordon > David Mamet's first script since Spartan feels forced and archaic, not surprising as its foundation was penned ten years before the wittiness seen in Glengarry Glen Ross. Dealing with a middle-aged man's downward spiral into the night, William H. Macy gives a striking performance, especially in the short scene with Julia Stiles. The film itself, however, begins to falter soon afterwards as irrational plotting sequences lead to an anticlimatic and inevitable ending. It tries to be deep with its dialogue, but even at barely 75 minutes, tends to drag on without much material substance. Necessary for Mamet fans, but only passable for most.

Hard Candy

2006 / David Slade > There is little doubt in my mind that Hard Candy is an exercise in sensationlism. It reeks of judgment, and lures the viewer into a world where minds have been made up about what is right and what is wrong. That is the bad part; fortunately, Ellen Page and Patrick Wilson put on such an incredible show that it's hard to turn away from the ridiculousness that follows. The character study of the two is stupefying, changing at the velocity of a ping pong ball. Aside from them, the cinematography is simple and beautiful sans a few unnecessary editing techniques that often feel gimmicky rather than functional. In the end, however, there is a disturbing emptiness due to the absence of any proper social/moral commentary.

My Scary Girl

2006 / Son Jae-gon > With a strong beginning, My Scary Girl hints of something different: a slightly offbeat dark romantic comedy that could stand out from the crowd. As the film goes on, however, the pacing stutters and the introduction of new characters gets messy. Moreover, a lot of the verbal wittiness in the film seems to have been lost in the translation. A great case of contrast would be against last year's Rules of Dating, where the relationship between the primary characters drove the film. Here, unfortunately, there is too much dependence on the gimmick of the girl being a "murderer" and its necessary exposition.

Superman Returns

2006 / Bryan Singer > My disappointment in Superman Returns has considerably little to do with expectations, and everything to do with the fundamentals. I'm amazed that Singer has constructed a giant caricature of a superhero film, filled with big explosions, a villain with ridiculous plans and a storyline that tries to pull a cover over our heads. Dare I say, that even Ratner did a better job with X-Men: The Land Stand because at least he made that fun.

The film has lots of big action sequences, many of which are technically fantastic, but in reality felt laborious to the viewer. Moreover, many of the plotlines—particularly that of Lex Luthor—simply don't make much sense. Luthor's plans are inane, but even that is topped by the uninspired climax. Why on earth would you build up that film only to conclude it so simply? Thankfully, Kevin Spacey and Parker Posey were entertaining enough to keep me interested. Brandon Routh's Clark Kent was well done, but his Superman was fairly harmless and bland (which, sadly, may have been a structural issue).

With great hesitation, I do look forward to Superman Reborn, as it has a much darker, grittier and considerably more interesting storyline. Also, the so-called twist in this film should also be further exploited in the sequel, which alone should make for some entertaining cinema.

Kingdom of Heaven

2005 / Ridley Scott > There's been a lot of talk about how the director's cut of Kingdom of Heaven is a considerable improvement on the theatrical cut. While I agree that may be true, both cuts fail to take the film beyond a level of superfluous grandiose. Sure, there are some memorable sequences—the climactic siege at Jerusalem is a magnificent artistic and technical achievement—but that isn't enough for a film nearing four hours where I keep asking myself, "Why do I care?"

There were too many deviations from the main plotline, many of which would have been better left out. The backstory provided in the director's cut is of importance, however I could have had a little less of Eva Green's character, who was ultimately time fodder. Worst of all, it feels, was that the epicness of the film was mitigated heavily by the middle third, which became an attention-testing palace drama. The mistake Sony made wasn't chopping up the film for theatrical release, but rather cutting up the incorrect parts. Who knows, maybe now we'll get a theatrical director's cut that will work a little better.

X-Men: The Last Stand

2006 / Brett Ratner > To my dearest Bryan Singer: I don't know if I can ever forgive you for abandoning the X-Men. I'm sure I'm not alone in this assessment. Mr. Ratner has meddlingly turned what potential you put forth in this series into a childish circus, filled with caricatures and dialogue that ought to be spoken by eight-grade thespians. Why are there so many wild tangents in this film? Why do people have to die left and right for emotion to be evoked? Why essentially windowdress what could have otherwise been a considerably deeper storyline than the previous two? By the end, I could care less about the explosions because I was so bored by the whole escapade. And what about that silly post-credits "ending?" What purpose does it really serve other than to say, "Hi, I am Brett Ratner, and I am planning on directing another X-Men film!" Dearest Bryan, please do your best to keep him away from such a tragedy. Thank you.