dcarst Reviews

The Phantom of the Opera (2004)

True to the Play, but flawed in other ways.

[7/10 · 11 January 2005]

Since Sir Andrew got a screen writing credit, I am not surprised to find that the movie copied the more positive aspects of the play. I found the movie enjoyable. I did think that it could have been a bit shorter. This is perhaps the first film that I felt should have been a candidate for an intermission, just like the play.

Many of the characters appeared more shallow than we have come to expect on the screen. The one exception to the mediocrity of the cast is Emmy Rossum (Christine). She has burst upon the scene as a very lovely presence in recent movies (Mystic River, Day After Tomorrow). She now bursts upon the scene as a very pleasant voice.

My main objection is that the voice over work became fairly obvious and toward the end the ALW songs were a little repetitious for a screenplay.

Beyond the Sea (2004)

Who's Too Old?

[8/10 · 9 January 2005]

Rarely have I given a good review to anything over 105 Minutes in length, but I feel that it is necessary to give a good old yippee! to this Kevin Spacey labor of love. Although the film glosses over some of the seamy aspects of Bobby Darin's career and love life, it remains true to the spirit of Bobby Darin the entertainer. I especially enjoyed the vocals by Mr. Spacey.

By the end of the movie, I could almost believe that Mr. Spacey was several years younger than he actually is. I do not believe that his portrayal of the younger man took anything away from the story.

I always enjoy performances by John Goodman (manager), Kate Bosworth (Sandra Dee) and Bob Hoskins (brother-in-law). Caroline Aaron gave an extraordinary performance as the sister of Bobby Darin. She has been overlooked as a character actor for far too long. The too short, but great part of Bobby's mother by Brenda Blethyn was thoroughly believable. Finally, William Ullrich (young Bobby Cassotto) was a good counterpoint to the older character played by Mr. Spacey.

I was never a fan of the Hollywood musical movie, but I thought that the musical numbers took us back to the sights and sounds that may have contributed to the 'Bobby Darin image'.

Alfie (2004)

Too long in coming, too long in leaving!

[1 November 2004]

While this remake of the star launching vehicle for Michael Caine is 8 minutes shorter than the original it takes too long to be done. By the time the final credits roll you forget the equally great performance that you have witnessed by Jude Law. I have had some questions in Mr. Law's selection of roles in the past, I find that here he found a great role but the director decided that he had to make the thing just toooooooo Lonnnnnnnnnnng.

The other performances in the movie, while good, don't come close to matching that of Mr. Law. I especially like the beauty of Sienna Miller in the role of Nikki. She was a standout and I look forward to more from her in the future. Susan Sarandon did an admirable performance as the older woman and I thought that she was just the woman enough to pull it off.

I Heart Huckabees (2004)

To quote Maxwell Smart, "Missed by THAT much"

[5 October 2004]

David Russell's brain child of the year, is still locked in his own brain. What comes out on the screen has lost something to the 'inner child' and it is probably still hidden in one of the creases of his cerebellum.

This movie starts slow and ponderously wends its way to a non-conclusion of vapid existentialistic mumbo-jumbo. It does have a few good laughs, but they are too few and far between.

Our protagonist, Albert, played by Jason Schwartzman, is a 'lost' soul in search of a purpose of life. He tries find it by hiring Bernard and Vivian (Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin) a pair of 'existential detectives' to explain the significance of meeting the same seven-foot-tall black man three times in one day. In reality, the true significant factor in Albert's life turns out to be Brad Stand played admirably by Jude Law. It seems that Albert is the principal in a group trying to 'Save the Marsh and Forest', signified by a rock surrounded by 'Do Not Cross' ribbon. Brad, an executive from Huckabees Department Store, is taking over control of Albert's group to get a new store built in the area.

Along the way, we find Brad living with the 'Voice of Huckabees' Dawn Campbell (Naomi Watts); another client of Bernard and Vivian, Tommy Corn (Mark Wahlberg) and a competing existential detective Caterine (Isabelle Huppert).

The long and the short of it is that between competing existential philosophies and competing story lines, the meaning of life is lost and the meaning of this film falls on the rock in the marsh with a deafening thud.

Stage Beauty (2004)

Beauty in the Stage

[1 October 2004]

In this film Billy Crudup plays 'Ned Kynaston', a player in a 17th Century Stage Troop in England. His looks have him playing female parts. England, at the time, denied women the right to 'trod the boards'. His dresser, Maria, played by Ms Claire Danes has two desires. The first is the obvious that she wishes to play Ned's parts. The second is that she wishes to play with Ned's parts. Ned is in a relationship with the Duke of Buckingham that both semi-deny. The twists that ensue would do Mr. Shakespeare proud. Othello seems to be the most performed play at the time, especially the death scene of Desdemona.

Nell Gwynn ('Newbie' Zoe Tapper), the mistress of King Charles II (Rupert Everett) turns the king's heart to decree that women can act on stage and forbids men playing women. Mr Kynaston's career is dead. His fall from the height and Maria's career as an actress allow for some wonderful interplay. Just as The Bard intended.

The "R" rating of this film is for very, very brief nudity and some use of the coarse language of the times. There is no reason to be put off by it, nor any reason to be titillated by it.

The most enjoyable part of the movie is a love scene, the most hideous part of the movie is a love scene, the most hairy part of the movie is retribution and the best part of the movie is that "All's Well that Ends Well" is in the ending. I highly recommend this film.

Finding Neverland (2004)

Tragically Enchanting!

[9/10 · 28 September 2004]

Director Marc Forster produces a gem of a screenplay with cinematic dual stage effects that are delightful to see and even more fun to try to figure out. His treatment of a subject that could be taken into many dark corners is at once tragic and enchanting.

Johnnie Depp gives a great performance as the playwright J. M. Barrie. He gives Mr. Barrie a realistic character that none could exceed. Kate Winslet is completely at ease in her role as Mrs Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, the widowed mother of 4 small boys and daughter of Mrs. du Maurier, a domineering mother (played to perfection by Julie Christie). Mr Barrie meets the boys and their mother in a park during one of his frequent visits to walk his dog and write in his journal. His interaction with the boys especially one named Peter is the backdrop to discovering Mr. Barrie's personality.

The joy that Mr. Barrie finds in the interaction with the four Llewelyn Davies boys and some innuendo with Mrs. Llewelyn Davies is tempered by the troubled marriage to his wife Mary, played ably and with a pathos I hadn't expected by Radha Mitchell.

Mr. Barrie enjoys a career in playwriting for producer Charles Frohman (Dustin Hoffman) that has fallen to a low point at the beginning of the movie. Mr. Frohman as foil to Mr. Barrie's ideas and the development of a new play provide a good sidebar to the main storyline. The pre-war era of England in 1903 provides a surreal version of fantasy and real life interacting inside Mr. Barrie and the Llewelyn Davies boys

The most surprising acting in the movie is not by one of the main characters. It is the acting of Freddie Hoffman as Peter Llewelyn Davies that shines.

I highly recommend this movie to all but the most jaded movie goer.

Head in the Clouds (2004)

Good performances, but story suspect

[6/10 · 17 September 2004]

Charlize dominates this film not only because of her bathtub scene, but because she turns in the best performance of all the actors. This part provides a needed relief from the part that she had in "Monster" and shows her to be a truly beautiful woman.

Personally, I feel that Stuart Townsend is in over his head in trying to be the man that captivates the debutante of France as played by Miss Theron. He plays the part well but seems to be miscast in a role that needs a man that is stronger physically as well as mentally.

Penelope Cruz is outstanding as the lame Spanish beauty. She provides a excellent performance as the stereotypical cripple with a golden heart as she uses her earnings as a model to become a nurse.

The story provides little, if any, inspiration and needs a stronger hand at the screen writing duties.

I was well entertained by this movie and thought the total effect was to keep me interested although it did become predictable in some spots. Perhaps my rating of 7 is partly because I thought that Charlize should have held out for a stronger screenplay for her next movie.

The Notebook (2004)

Formulaic, but well executed

[5/10 · 16 June 2004]

Nick Cassavetes' effort to bring Jan Sardi's adaptation of Nicholas Sparks' novel to the screen has James Garner and Gena Rowlands perform adequately in this southern version of the poor boy--rich girl--rich boy triangle. As Allie and Noah, the beautiful Rachel Adams and handsome Ryan Gosling do it justice. The cinematography is well done with two scenes involving birds that are outstanding, if a little over-the-top. I found the picture entertaining and wasn't disappointed by the performances. I was glad to see that Ms Adams can act as well as look gorgeous. Ms Rowlands accurate portrayal of the devastation of Alzheimer's disease is especially poignant with the recent death Ronald Reagan. Some of the pathos just misses and some of the comedy is predictable, but as a general rule it is enjoyable and never boring.

The Door in the Floor (2004)

Ted and Marion deal in different ways to the deaths of their sons,

[9/10 · 15 June 2004]

In an adaptation of John Irving's 'A Widow for One Year', Jeff Bridges (Ted Cole) gives a typically marvelous performance as a semi-alcoholic children's book writer whose life is shattered by the death of his two sons several years earlier. His marriage to Kim Basinger (Marion Cole), not the best of marriages before the deaths, becomes totally disrupted. In the summer resort town of East Hampton on Long Island, New York, a student (Eddie played by Jon Foster) from the private school that had been attended by the two dead sons is hired as a writer's assistant (in reality as the driver for Ted who has lost his license {alcohol?}) and becomes intertwined in the family dynamics of the husband's philanthropy, his wife's catatonia, their daughter's obsession with pictures of the dead boys and the current object of Ted's philanthropy (Mrs Vaughan played superbly by Mimi Rogers). This is a must see for any fans of John Irving, Mr. Bridges and especially Ms. Basinger. I enjoyed the movie and hope that Todd Williams keeps finding gems such as this!