"And one day there will be no more frontier...but once, we were here."

While out browsing for computer games with a good friend of mine, I came across the Director’s Cut DTS Edition of ‘The Last of the Mohicans’. I had only seen the film once but from what I remembered it was quite good. Since it was only $9.99 and included the ever-coveted DTS audio track I quickly added it to my collection. For the price I paid I’m happy to say that the DVD measures up. Only just barely.

Last of the Mohicans is set in 1757, during the French and British battle for control of the North American colonies. Both sides have the help of various native American war parties and the British troops enlist the aid of local colonial militia men who are afraid to leave their frontier homes unguarded against the French soldiers and native tribes. Three remaining men of the Mohawk tribe, one adopted white son and his native father and brother, find themselves escorting a solider and two daughters of a British officer across the wild frontier. Nathaniel (Daniel Day-Lewis) falls in love with one of the women, Cora (Madeleine Stowe), and risks everything to keep her safe from the vengeful leader of a Huron war party.

My friend Dave would almost certainly be able to provide a better description of what was really going on during the British/French war in the 18th century. The film doesn’t go to great lengths to explain exactly what the battle is about or which side we should be cheering for. This is probably a good thing since the story is not about the war itself, but rather the involvement of the native tribes caught up in it. It’s a sweeping, epic view of the last days of the frontier and the start of the colonization of the Americas.

I first saw Daniel Day-Lewis in the incredible film ‘In the Name of the Father’. His character had a thick Irish accent (which my wife would have loved) and was completely different than his character in Mohicans. I found Nathaniel to be a little over the top and too serious to really take seriously. Er…yeah. I’ve heard that Day-Lewis often goes to extremes to get into character and that he actually spent several months living and camping in the wilderness prior to filming. His character comes across harsh and to-the-point, which is probably what you would expect from a man trying to survive in the war-torn frontier. It does make it a little hard to believe that Cora would fall for him so quickly, which she does. It’s a touching love story but just a little hard to believe.

The real star of the show, however, is the cinematography. As expected the sweeping vistas and scenery of the American frontier in the 18th century is reproduced with stunning results. From grasslands and forests to fog enshrouded lakes and thundering waterfalls, virtually every scene has something beautiful to see. Even the war torn forts, complete with smoking cannonballs streaking across the sky, are displayed as accurately as I would imagine them. The Last of the Mohicans is partially about the changing landscape of the time, which is terrifically displayed through the incredible cinematography.

Although the scenes themselves are something to behold, the video transfer of the DVD itself left much to be desired. I couldn’t help but notice a ton of grain, haze and distortion in many of the scenes. Colors were muted and faded and the print had an overall dissolved look. I’m not sure if this is due to the age of the film (1992) or if it’s simply a poor transfer. My guess is the latter considering the high quality video of many older films on DVD. Had the 2.35:1 Anamorphic widescreen print been of higher quality this DVD would look amazing. That being said, there is one scene in particular, where Nathaniel leaps through a giant waterfall that looks incredible.

Fortunately there is a 5.1 DTS audio track which makes up for the poor video quality…almost. I definitely felt immersed in the wilderness as the surrounds conveyed all the sounds one would normally expect to find there. Birds chirping, twigs snapping, leaves rustling. And the battle scenes are thunderous, putting the subwoofer through its paces. Overall I was quite pleased with the audio.

As for bonuses, there are none to speak of. So I won’t.

The Last of the Mohicans is an enjoyable film but it seems to lack a certain something. Everything seems to be building to an epic climax but I just wasn’t brought in enough to feel it. The music is fantastic, the scenes are beautiful and the acting, for the most part, is spot on. But the glue that holds it all together is just a little weak. I would say that if you are interested in colonial America and native tribes, then you would certainly enjoy Mohicans. If not, there’s still a chance you would enjoy this film but it’s not going to knock your moccasins off.

The Last of the Mohicans gets 7 tomahawks (out of 10).

Click here for ‘The Last of the Mohicans’ trivia.

"Ask him, Edie, how come he's so good at killing people?"

Most of us recognize Viggo Mortensen from his role as Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Although it was the role that gave him worldwide renown, it was certainly no where close to being his first major motion picture debut. Viggo has also had significant roles in A Perfect Murder, G.I. Jane, Crimson Tide, Carlito’s Way, Young Guns II and Witness. He’s shown that he has the chops to be a good, dramatic actor, and his latest fare, A History of Violence, is no exception. The movie itself leaves something to be desired, however.

Directed by David Cronenberg, A History of Violence tells the story of Tom Stall, a mild mannered family man and owner of a diner in a small Indiana town. After killing two would-be thieves (albeit, really bad, murdering thieves), Tom is confronted by a man who claims to know his violent past. Tom must attempt to get his life back in order while reassuring his wife and children that he is not the murdering gangster this new arrival claims he is. Or is he?

One of things that I liked about this film, aside from the intriguing plot, was that the director keeps you guessing. Right from the opening scene, Shauna and I were making assumptions and guesses that I assume the director wanted us to make. Most of them ended up being wrong, which is nice, since predictable movies can often be too, er, predictable. You never really learn the truth about the whole situation until about an hour into the film, at which point a lot still needs to be resolved concerning Tom Stall and his family.

Ed Harris (Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind) gives a chilling performance as Carl Fogarty, a disfigured mobster who claims Tom is really Joey, an equally ruthless criminal with violent tendencies. Some incredible tension is created in the film as Carl continues to push his case against Tom and his family, becoming more convincing with each scene. Figuring out whether Carl is right or not is part of the fun of A History of Violence. In either case, it almost certainly means some terrible consequences for the Stall family.

Although the plot and acting are interesting and entertaining, the film falls apart at several other stages. Maria Bello stars as Tom’s wife, and it seems like her only reason for being in the film is to provide a somewhat accomplished actress who is willing to take her clothes off. She has a knack for starring in questionably sub-par films, including Payback, The Cooler and Coyote Ugly and it doesn’t appear that A History of Violence is going to do anything to change that reputation. Although the film is designed to take a close look at a specific kind of violence in society, there are a number of scenes that simply didn’t need to be there. Some might disagree but I can certainly say that I really didn’t need to see them. Fair warning.

The film is also quite short, which I was surprised by since the plot seemed to have so much potential. That being said, I can appreciate what Cronenberg was trying to do. This is really just a short story, a small excerpt from one family’s life. I will admit that the movie does get you thinking and it’s likely that that is all Cronenberg had in mind. It’s definitely a film that makes you go ‘hmmm’, though I don’t think I’ll want it to make me go ‘hmmm’ a second time. I guess this is one of those movies that might be good to see once but is certainly not a re-watcher.

The DVD is presented in 1.85:1 Anamorphic widescreen, which always looks good on a widescreen television. I didn’t notice anything terrible or wonderful about the picture quality though, as I was too busy analyzing the film and trying to decide if I liked it or not. I’m still not sure on that one. And although the trailers might depict this as an action/thriller, you can be sure that the moments of violence are brief. Don’t get me wrong, those moments are still very, very violent. They're just short, which is probably for the best. Ultimately it's not a movie that really needs fantastic picture quality. The audio is provided via a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack which, again, is adequate enough that I didn’t notice any glaring problems, but is nothing stellar.

There are a number of bonus featurettes included on the single-disc DVD, as well as a director’s commentary and some deleted scenes. I only watched a few of the bonus features and was intrigued by some of the filmmaking stuff, but it seemed like the majority of the information concerned the philosophical issues that the movie raises. Cronenberg’s statement is that human history is rife with violence of all kinds, and this film merely takes a look at one specific instance of violence and how it affects the lives of Tom Stall and his family. There is probably some really interesting stuff in here if you’re into that sort of thing.

In the end, A History of Violence wasn’t nearly as good as I was hoping it would be. In fact, it wasn’t even the kind of film I thought it was going to be. That doesn’t necessarily mean it was a bad film, but I can’t say it was a good one either. It had a few entertaining moments and some great acting by Ed Harris, yet it still left something to be desired. There was a lot of potential that just didn’t get realized.

I’m not sure if I should recommend this one or not. Let’s just say that if you weren’t interested in seeing it, you’re not missing anything. And if you really do want to see it, consider yourself warned, but hopefully you’ll still get something out of it.

A History of Violence gets 5 bloody noses (out of 10).

Relax, just click here for ‘A History of Violence’ trivia, and no one gets hurt.

Roll Credits

I thought I would start a new feature here on 'Down In Front' to help explain all those crew roles you see listed in a film's credits. One of the many things I enjoy about watching movies is watching the credits themselves. First of all, the music is often very significant to the end of the film and I find it provides an all-encompassing feeling of what the film was about. When Shauna and I used to go to the theatre, we almost always sat through the entire credits. Usually because we wanted to see who played such-and-such a role or which composer scored the film. But often it was simply to listen to the wonderful music. Sometimes there is so much happening on the screen that we miss the subtle musical cues that can really bring a film to life.

I am also fascinated by the filmmaking process. I love learning about all the tricks and techniques used to create a feature length film. I'm amazed at how much I've learned in the last several years, especially since movie studios started including comprehensive special features as part of the DVD releases.

But I think we would all agree that there are usually just way too many names scrolling by in the credits to bother reading them all. And often the crew title itself is confusing. What the heck is a clapper loader?

Well, in an effort to encourage my readers to sit through the credits more often, I present 'Roll Credits' - a regular feature where I'll define a few of those confusing credit titles. Hopefully this will give you a better understanding of what's going on during the film making process, and ultimately give you a greater appreciation of what's involved in creating those movies we all love so much.

Gaffer - The Gaffer is the head electrician on set and reports to the Director of Photography. They arrange the lighting and electrical requirements on set as needed, and supervise the other electricians.

Grip - A grip is a person who works on set with all of the camera support equipment. They organise camera mounts when the director wants the camera on the side of a moving car, they move dollies, cranes, lay tracks and generally make it possible for the director to put the camera in more places than just on a tripod. A Key Grip is the person in charge of the grip crew and reports to the Director of Photography.

Director of Photography - A.k.a. Cinematographer. The Director of Photography is the person who is responsible for the cinematic look of the film, which includes selecting the right film stock, lighting each scene to achieve the director's requirements, choosing cameras and lenses, supervising the grips and electricians, and the other members of the camera department (camera operator, clapper/loader, focus puller, and camera assistants). Together with the Director and the Production Designer, the Director of Photography holds a key responsibility for the final look of the film on screen. In the USA and Canada, Director of Photography is often abbreviated to "DP"; in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, it is normally "DOP".

Cinematographers who have achieved a certain level of recognition amongst their peers are normally invited to join one or more of the national cinematographer societies. Members are identified in the film's credits with a series of letters after their name:

A.S.C. - The American Society of Cinematographers
C.S.C. - The Canadian Society of Cinematographers
A.C.S. - The Australian Cinematographers Society
B.S.C. - The British Society of Cinematographers (not to be confused with the Society for British Cinematographers...splitters!)

"It wasn't the airplanes. It was beauty killed the beast."

Before the Lord of the Rings films, I had no idea who Peter Jackson was. This was probably true for most people. After grossing more than $1 billion worldwide, I think it’s now safe to say that there are few people who have not heard of Peter Jackson. The Lord of the Rings trilogy blew me away and I was excited to hear that Peter’s next project was a remake of the classic monster flick, King Kong.

When Kong made its debut in the theatres, the critic’s response was less than stellar. The main criticism seemed to be the film’s 3 hour-plus length, though I’m sure many critics couldn’t resist comparing Kong to The Lord of the Ring’s success. Six months later I knew I would see the film on DVD, but was unsure if I would end up adding it to my collection permanently. A few friends, who know me well, advised that the movie was right up my alley and that I would not regret blind-buying the 2-disc Special Edition.

So that’s what I did. And about a week ago I hosted a movie night where myself and several good friends got to watch King Kong for the first time.

Peter Jackson, you’re my hero.

Ironically, although most people know what King Kong is essentially about I would wager that few of them have actually seen the 1933 original. I haven’t. We’ve all seen clips here and there, usually showing Kong high atop the Empire State Building or fighting prehistoric dinosaurs on Skull Island. But considering that few of us have ever watched the original from beginning to end, it’s a testament to Kong’s popularity that we all know who King Kong is. I was excited to finally have a chance to see Kong’s story in its entirety.

Peter Jackson’s King Kong tells the story of Carl Denham (Jack Black), failing filmmaker, who charters a voyage to the mysterious Skull Island to finish his masterpiece. Joining him, whether willingly or not, are Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts), a struggling actress, and Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody), Carl’s scriptwriter. Together they set out to explore Skull Island, where they discover a lost world filled with savage tribes people and terrible monsters. The most fearsome of them all, a 25 foot giant ape called Kong becomes obsessed with Ann Darrow, while Carl becomes obsessed with capturing Kong.

I don’t think I’m giving anything away by telling you what the crew find on Skull Island, or that Carl manages to bring Kong back to New York, where all hell breaks loose. Ultimately this is a story that most of us are familiar with and know exactly how it all ends. The joy of watching King Kong is not in discovering what happens, but rather how it all happens. Peter Jackson stays true to the story of King Kong while showing it to you in a way you’ve never seen before. It’s a wonderful tribute to the original film. It does not attempt to replace the 1933 classic. On the contrary, it made me want to watch the first King Kong. That’s about the best praise a remake film can achieve.

King Kong is a terrific story filled with interesting characters and intriguing circumstances. It’s a good hour before we finally get to see Kong himself, but trust me, it’s well worth the wait. Once on Skull Island, King Kong becomes a thrill ride the likes of which I haven’t seen in a long while. Even though there were only seven of us watching, the room was filled with gasps of surprise, moans of empathy and whatever you call those sounds people make when they get the heebie-jeebies really, really bad. I can’t recall the last movie I saw that produced so much vocal expression from its audience. Peter Jackson definitely knows how to involve you in the action and make it real enough to almost feel.

And talk about action. The roller coaster ride of Skull Island is relentless in its thrilling, terrifying and awe-inducing pace. One minute you’ll be chased by herds of rampaging brontosaurs, crying out as each thunderous footstep narrowly misses (or doesn’t) the fleeing crew. The next minute you’ll be catching your breath as the characters find some haven of relative safety and without warning you’ll be plunged head-first into the fast-paced action once again as the crew realize they are never truly safe on Skull Island. I was amazed at how many different scenarios unfolded before my eyes. It seemed almost too much, and yet Peter Jackson manages to keep you not only interested, but filled with excitement at every turn. Storytelling and characters aside, King Kong is a terrific ride.

King Kong is also filled with some incredible performances, not the least of which is Kong himself. Andy Serkis provides the motion capture and facial expression for the giant ape. That’s the same fellow who gave us Gollum’s performance in Lord of the Rings. While Kong may not have as many lines as Gollum did, the physical performance and emotional expression is on par with Serkis’ incredible ability to give CG characters a life of their own. Jack Black (Carl Denham) also gives his best performance to date. That may not be saying much, considering his somewhat typecast roles. However, I believe his acting ability has certainly gone up a notch. While there are still typical ‘Jack Black’ moments, we do get to see another side of this obviously versatile actor. Adrien Brody (Jack Driscoll) and Naomi Watts (Ann Darrow) do a fine job, though they are easily overshadowed by Kong and Denham.

The special effects alone are worth the purchase price of King Kong. WETA Workshops have raised the bar in the CG department, bringing an entire island of creatures to life. Creating creatures that are believable and realistic gives the film its ability to draw the audience in and achieve those ‘ooh-aah’ moments. I found I could easily ‘buy into’ the creatures – they looked right, they moved right and they sounded right. There was only one moment, during a brontosaur stampede, where the lighting seemed a bit off, giving away the CG illusion. Other than that the only thing convincing you that what you’re seeing isn’t real is the fact that your mind knows it isn’t real.

The DVD is presented in 2.35:1 Anamorphic widescreen and looks fantastic. The colors are crisp and clear. I didn’t notice any blurring or graininess anywhere. From the depression-era streets of New York city to the lush green jungles of Skull Island, everything looks vibrant and alive. The picture quality is just stunning. The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track is equally impressive. This is a film that really benefits from a surround sound system and mine was put through its paces and then some. A DTS track is always preferred but I guess there’s only so much room on one disc for a 3-hour film like this one. Extended edition, Mr. Jackson?

The second disc of the 2-disc Special Edition contains an entire collection of Peter Jackson’s post-production diaries. If you have any interest in film making then you’ll absolutely love these featurettes. Shauna and I watched all 3 ½ hours of them in one sitting and were ready for more. The diaries take you through virtually every aspect of the film’s post-production, from scoring and effects to motion capture and editing. There is a completely separate DVD for sale that contains the production diaries (principle photography) which I will almost certainly be picking up. These are some of the best special features I’ve seen since Lord of the Rings. Here’s hoping other directors and studios decide to follow Peter Jackson’s example.

I was completely blown away by King Kong. It was so much more than I was expecting. In all fairness, it was probably more than a lot of other people wanted. The 3+ hour running time is probably frowned upon by most movie go-ers. But then, I’m not most movie go-ers. The longer, the better, as far as I’m concerned. Of course, I wouldn’t say the same thing if I had to sit it out in a public theatre. I’ll take the comfort of my own couch any day of the week (and three or four times on Sundays). If you’re looking for a thrilling adventure movie and are willing to suspend your disbelief (which is the point of most movies) then you cannot go wrong with Kong.

It’s been a while since I’ve given away a 10...but…

King Kong (2005) gets 10 enormous bananas (out of 10)!

Beat your chest proudly and click here for ‘King Kong’ trivia.

Movie Review Catch-Up Part III

I bet you thought I wasn’t going to post Part III today, didn’t you? Yeah, I know you. There you are sitting by your computer refreshing my blog every 30 seconds, hoping for my next posting, which usually happens much earlier in the day. You probably started to get the shakes worrying that maybe I wouldn’t post today. Well have no fear because here it is! The Movie Review Catch-Up Part III.

There’s a quote from Return of the Jedi about “delusions of grandeur”. I think it applies to me.

Courage Under Fire – I can’t even remember where or when I first saw this movie. I’m not even 100% sure how it ended up in my DVD collection. It might have been a gift. Possibly from my wife. Anyway, the point is, like the majority of the movies in my collection, Courage Under Fire is a terrific flick. Although it follows a bit of the same pattern as other military dramas the characters are very engaging and the performances incredibly entertaining. Denzel Washington, Meg Ryan, Matt Damon, Scott Glenn and Lou Diamond Phillips star in this story about the first Medal of Honor to be awarded, posthumously, to a woman for her actions in combat. Combined with numerous flashbacks from different points of view, Courage Under Fire is intelligent and exciting, and will keep you guessing. “It’s the consequences. Imagine a life without consequences.”

Brotherhood of the Wolf – I borrowed this movie a while back and only just got around to watching it a few days ago. I never really knew what it was about but thought it looked cool and had some potential. I knew it was a French film, with English subtitles, but most of the foreign films I’ve seen are pretty good. Well this one starts out really good with some incredible cinematography and impressively choreographed fight scenes. The story is also quite intriguing. (From IMDB) ‘In 18th century France, the Chevalier de Fronsac and his native American friend Mani are sent by the King to the Gevaudan province to investigate the killings of hundreds by a mysterious beast’. Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? Well, unfortunately the story falls apart about 2/3rds of the way through and what I originally thought would be an intelligent, creative explanation for the killings turned out to be quite weak. I was disappointed. I can understand bad movies being bad, but this was a good movie that went bad. Maybe the ‘best-before’ date expired while I was watching it. “Instead of singing songs, they should be saying prayers.”

The Legend of 1900 – It’s like finding $20 in your coat pocket while searching for your keys – completely unexpected and delightful. The Legend of 1900 is one those movies that few people have heard about but stands out as one of the best films I’ve seen in a long time. Tim Roth stars as 1900, born on a cruise ship in the same year (thus the name) and who lives his life on the ocean, never setting foot on land. And as fate would have it, he is a prodigy piano player. Filled with wonderful music and poetic dialogue, Legend is just as much fun to watch as it is to listen to. And the DTS soundtrack just makes me giddy when I play it. It may not have the best acting in the world, but the writing and music more than make up for it. It’s a beautiful, funny, romantic and haunting film that anyone with any taste would enjoy. So, if you don’t like it, you have no taste. My, I’m being quite judgmental today. Well it’s one of the perks of having a blog, I guess. “Land is a ship too big for me.”

The Full Monty – I’m still convinced that it was Anthony who first recommended this film to me but he swears it’s the other way around. Either way this is definitely a film that appeals to the kind of sense of humour that Anthony and I share. First of all, it’s British. And let me tell you, the British know humour. Monty Python. Need I say more? Second of all…well, there really isn’t a second of all. There doesn’t have to be. I mean, it’s British! The Full Monty is about a group of out-of-work steelworkers who get the idea to perform a male strip show in their local town to earn some extra money. And in order to top those Chippendale hacks, they decide to go for the full monty – total nudity. While it may take the novice viewer a few rewinds here and there to fully understand the dialogue, what is clear is that these chaps are not what you would expect in a male dancer. Quite the opposite, in fact. But what they lack in, er, talent, they more than make up for with heart. If you can watch this film and not have a huge grin on your face by the end, then you have no soul. Ok, I think I need to reign in the judgmental-ness a little. “Anti-wrinkle cream there may be, but anti-fat-bastard cream there is not.”

Out of Time – Another selection from my roommate’s collection and one I’ve never seen before. Denzel Washington stars in this “thrilling” film about a police chief who has to race against the clock and his fellow detectives in order to prevent himself from becoming the main suspect in a homicide investigation. Maybe I was expecting more or maybe I built it up in my mind long before I got around to seeing it, but Out of Time just didn’t do it for me. It was entertaining, a little, and had a few funny moments. But in the end it didn’t quite live up to…whatever it was I was expecting. There’s a good chance I was just in the wrong mindset because Denzel doesn’t usually disappoint and I do recall several exciting scenes during the film. Maybe I have to watch it again. Shauna is definitely into these kinds of films so she’s probably a better judge than I am about this one. I’ll have her watch it and then I’ll get back to you. How’s that for a cop-out? “A beer in the hand is worth two in the fridge.”

Well that almost covers all the movies I’ve seen in the last few weeks. I’m only a couple movies behind now so this is probably a good place to end the Movie Review Catch-Up. Thanks for reading! Send along your comments on any of these films, or other films, or anything film-related. Or un-film related. I just like getting comments.

Until next time, turn the volume up loud, the lights down low and the cell-phones OFF!

Movie Review Catch-Up Part II

As part of my quest to catch up on reviewing all the films I’ve watched in the last month or so, here is the next entry in my Movie Review Catch-Up. The fan mail I’ve been receiving in regards to the lack of postings over the last little while has been staggering. Hopefully this small collection of mini-reviews will keep you satisfied.

The Jackal – It’s rare that Bruce Willis plays the bad guy. We’re so used to him being the big action super-star who ultimately saves the day. The Jackal is incredibly entertaining because we finally get to see Bruce play the cold, ruthless assassin who will stop at nothing to accomplish his mission. The brief moments of interplay between Willis and Richard Gere are intense, but it’s hard to know who to root for. Willis’ character is really cool at times, but he’s also really, really bad. A wonderfully entertaining bit with Jack Black rounds off this fantastic flick. “Oh yeah! Bring on the sprawl, baby!”

Walk the Line – I’ve been looking forward to seeing this film ever since I first heard that Joaquin Phoenix was practicing for his then up-coming role as the Man in Black, Johnny Cash. I have been a fan of Phoenix’s work ever since Gladiator and each new film with him in it just reinforces my respect for his ability as an actor. Walk the Line is one more beautiful example of how versatile Joaquin is. His portrayal of Mr. Cash is breathtaking, from the way he speaks to the way he plays his guitar and sings those haunting songs. Apparently it was Johnny Cash himself who chose Joaquin to portray him, after seeing his role in Gladiator, just three years before Cash passed away. Even if you’re not a huge fan of Johnny Cash, and I certainly wasn’t, this is still one to check out. It’s a great biographical story and is filled with incredible performances. “Don’t give me no rules. All I got are rules.”

The Princess Bride – I’m not sure if there’s any point in saying how good this film is. The three people in the world who don’t like it probably aren’t reading my blog anyway. How can you not like this film? It’s got fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love and miracles. It’s one of those movies that has a quote for every situation in life. And best of all, anyone can watch it, from age 5 to 105. The special edition DVD is a wonderfully re-mastered version of this classic and I highly recommend picking up a copy. This is definitely a must-have. “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”

The Right Stuff – After watching Apollo 13 and the HBO mini-series From The Earth To The Moon, it made sense that Shauna and I would add The Right Stuff to our collection. I had rented the film a couple of years ago but made the silly mistake of watching Disc 2 before Disc 1. I could never figure out why the film seemed so disjointed and confusing. We watched the whole 3 hour flick in the right order this time and I was pleased to see that it made much more sense. Following the real life story of test pilots and America’s first astronauts, The Right Stuff is an entertaining and informative look at the space race. Ed Harris, Dennis Quaid, Sam Sheppard, Scott Glenn, Jeff Goldblum and a host of other big names star in this classic portrayal of America’s reach for the stars. Does that sound as hokey and cliché as I think it does? “Request permission to relieve bladder.”

Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events – This film was made for Jim Carrey. From what I understand, the books are nearly as popular as the Harry Potter franchise and appeal to the same audience – that is, anyone with an imagination and a sense of humour. Jim Carrey is the embodiment of imagination and humour and he shines as the deliciously evil Count Olaf. The movie is filled with wonderful characters and incredible sets and ends up being a very entertaining book-come-to-film. If you like Harry Potter and Jim Carrey, you’ll love this series of very unfortunate events. “This would be an excellent time to walk out of the theatre, living room, or airplane where this film is being shown.”

That should tide you over until tomorrow, when I will post Part III of my Movie Review Catch-Up. Now that you’re finished reading about these wonderful movies, perhaps it’s time to come over and watch one. I’ll get the popcorn started.

Movie Review Catch-Up - Part I

Well it has been far too long since my last blog and now that I’m back from my Vegas vacation, I don’t have any excuse for not posting something. I’ve only managed to watch 4 movies since returning from my trip last Friday. I know, I know…I have a lot of work to do in order to get my average back up. Have no fear! I shall not disappoint my multitude of fans who demand nothing less than my obsessive and near-psychotic devotion to movie-watching.

Going back through my diary of movies I’ve watched, I realize that I have seen 16 movies since my last blog about Sahara. How do I pick just one for today’s posting?

I don’t. That’s how.

So how about a recap to bring us up to speed? Here’s part 1 of the ‘Movie Review Catch-Up”:

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels – A Steve Martin classic. Ruprecht the Monkey Boy is comic genius. Martin and Caine join forces to con their way to riches and glory. This one is right up there with Planes, Trains, and Automobiles as one of the best comedies of my generation. Definitely a must-see movie. If you're not satisfied, just give me your address and I'll be sure to send you a cheque to make up for it. “To be with another woman, that is French. To be caught, that is American.”

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – How do you possibly condense a 700+ page novel into a 2 ½ hour movie? The Lord of the Rings Trilogy is only a few hundred pages longer and it took over 10 hours of film to capture the epic nature of Tolkien’s fantastic world. The Goblet of Fire may not be as epic as Tolkien’s work, but there is certainly much more going on than the movie can possibly portray. I’m a fan of the novels and the movies are certainly entertaining, but Goblet of Fire falls short of anything incredible simply due to the fact that it cannot hope to compete with the books. A great film. But read the book.

Men of Honor – I love movies about the underdog. Cuba Gooding Jr. portrays the real life story of Carl Brashear, the first African-American and amputee to become a Master Diver in the US Navy. Robert De Niro is fantastic as the racist Master Chief in charge of training, or failing, Brashear. It’s an interesting and entertaining look at WWII diving (before SCUBA was in use) and features some notable performances by Gooding and De Niro. Worth a look. "If it is lost underwater, he finds it. If it's sunk, he brings it up. If it's in the way, he moves it."

Michael Buble – Caught in the Act – While not a feature film, per se, this live performance is worth seeing, and hearing. Michael Buble has a voice that effortlessly revives the classics of Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and many more ‘standards’. He’s a natural entertainer and the music is just plain fun. There's even a suprise appearance by another famous young singer. I won't spoil it for you, but suffice it to say that Shauna probably bought this DVD more for her obsession with the guest star than for Michael Buble. Please pray for her.

Beyond the Sea – Kevin Spacey portrays the life of singer/songwriter Bobby Darin (Mack the Knife, Beyond the Sea). While giving a great acting performance, Spacey also manages to sing all the songs himself. The choreography is wonderfully entertaining, especially during 'Beyond the Sea' itself. If you liked De-Lovely, Walk the Line or Ray, chances are you’ll enjoy Beyond the Sea. Even if you're just a big Spacey fan, like me, you'll definitely want to see this one. "Memories are like moonbeams, we do with them what we will."

That should keep you satisfied for at least a day. I’ll be back tomorrow with Part II of the Movie Review Catch-Up.

What have you been watching?