ahallimdb Reviews

Cold Weather (2010)

Two ways to look at this film

[5/10 · 3 March 2011]

On one hand, a local guy came back to Portland and made a feature film set in the city I live in and love; he made it on a low budget, wrote it and directed it himself, got it made and *released*! (And Portland looks gorgeous in the film.) This is an impressive achievement any filmmaker should be commended for. Many aspiring filmmakers never get their film finished let alone released.

On the other hand, the film is woefully lacking in basics like character development and an interesting story. Many plot points simply don't ring true or seem plausible; even character interactions seem forced and a bit scripted, giving the audience precious little to relate to or care about in these people; we're almost *begging* for something to latch on to as we watch the film, but there's almost nothing. The dialog is usually wooden and forgettable, and it's hard to see how it advances the story much or helps us understand the relationship between the characters (or makes us laugh). And there's rarely any tension between characters (hint: *conflict* in movies is interesting!).

I get that it wasn't supposed to be a thriller but it isn't effective as a "relationship film" either. Too much "reading between the lines" and "willing suspension of disbelief" is required. "Cold Weather" kind of plods along to an unexpected conclusion, making us wonder what kind of movie it *could* have been. Unfortunately, it compares poorly to similar films made on a low budget by young directors.

The Room (2003)

The worst film ever made. DON'T MISS IT!!!

[9/10 · 27 March 2010]

"The Room" makes the worst films you've seen before look like "Citizen Kane," the worst Saturday Night Live sketches look like Emmy winners. At some point you think, my god, this must be a put-on. NO ONE could have made a movie this bad on purpose! The actors appear never to have acted before the cameras started rolling. Performances are just terrible. The dialog such as it is beyond cheesy and cliché. The plot, if that's what you call it, makes no real sense. The main character Johnny (Tommy, also director/producer/auteur) looks and sounds like an alien from another planet, rejected by "Star Trek" as too weird.

And yet, the whole thing is oddly mesmerizing, like a car wreck you can't help but stare at. Of course, half of the point of seeing it is to enjoy it with a crowd who has memorized the lines and knows how to participate in the action by now, to make fun of it.

Beyond that, it's a very difficult film to describe. You MUST see for yourself!!

Al Franken: God Spoke (2006)

Good movie for Al Franken fans

[8/10 · 11 November 2006]

I've been a fan of Al Franken for years and listen to his radio show, so I quite enjoyed this film that follows him from just before he joined Air America Radio through the 2004 election. Mostly, this documentary simply follows Franken around as he gives various speeches, debates Ann Coulter and Sean Hannity, does his radio show, jokes around with various Republican celebrities, and putzes around at home.

The high moments of the film are seeing Franken debate the opposition: Hannity, O'Reilly, Ann Coulter. Most Franken fans have heard the stories and even some audio of these encounters, but seeing them on film adds something. If there's any letdown, it's that the segments with O'Reilly and Ann Coulter are too short - you want to see more. There are some slower moments in the film but it never quite drags.

Thank You for Smoking (2005)

Not quite as daring or biting as I'd expected

[7/10 · 7 May 2006]

Yes, this movie is sometimes funny and Aaron Eckhart is as good as you expect in his role as Nick Naylor. But it all seems pretty tame compared to stuff done every night on American television on shows like "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report," not quite up to the hype and the glowing praise the film has received. At some point "Thank You For Smoking" gets a bit repetitive and seems to go on a bit too long, even though it's barely 90 minutes in length. You "get" it after the first 25 minutes.

Rob Lowe and, of course, Robert Duvall are both amusing in their brief appearances in the film, but their appearances seem almost too brief. Still, this hardly seems like a "must see" movie in any respect.

Skrítek (2005)

Kind of a surreal, European version of American TV's "Married with Children"

[8/10 · 13 February 2006]

This is a clever film - not a conventional comedy/drama, although it tells a fairly ordinary family story. It's mildly absurd and a little over-the-top at times, sometimes even slap-sticky, with a few mystical touches that made little sense to me but added something to the film, I guess. The tone is pretty light most of the time despite the somewhat dreary surroundings. I can almost guarantee you will laugh at least a few times.

There are no subtitles in this Czech-made film because none are needed. There is little dialog but characters don't speak in conventional language - but you completely get what they are saying and the story is very easy to follow. It always adds an extra challenge to telling the story in this universal-language way, but in this case, the filmmaker succeeds brilliantly.

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

Funny premise, not very funny movie

[6 July 2004]

Will Ferrell as a phony, materialistic 70's TV news anchorman? Funny premise, but it's just not funny beyond the previews or the first 5 minutes. Movies can be both stupid and funny, like "Old School" but this one is just stupid and very rarely funny. There's not much of a story - it's just a vehicle for Ferrell's anchorman character.

Look for one wildly over-the-top scene between dueling news teams and some well-known actors in quick cameo roles (familiar faces from "Old School" for example). Beyond that, only comic actor Steve Carell (former regular on "The Daily Show") is good for a reliable laugh, and he steals just about every scene he's in, as a dumber-than-dumb weatherman. Ferrell, though, is rarely funny in the leading role.

I'm not sure I can recommend this film even as a bargain matinée. It's not that good even as brain-dead comedy.