Tuesday Movie Reviews

So I'm thinking that, as a service for those who give a shit, I'll review some of the movies that release every Tuesday. I won't be reviewing all of them as I only get to watch 3 or 4 in a weekend, and I have to stress this is my opinion only!! I am not a professional...although I play one in the store.
By the way, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS. So if you don't want to know important plot turns, maybe stop reading here.



The Informant
Starring: Matt Damon and Scott Bakula
Directed by Steven Soderbergh

As I watched The Informant I kept thinking to myself "this is not the movie I thought it was going to be". Turns out I was very happy about that thought. What looks like a bit of a goofy comedy from the trailers, this movie turns out to be one of the best black comedies I've seen in ages. Matt Damon does a great job as Mark Whitacre, a guy who can't stop lying to better his position in life. The funny thing is, he seems to have no idea he's lying...he truly believes everything he says. Through this, he leads a couple of FBI agents on a wild goose chase with regards to price fixing in the agriculture market. Damon fully engrosses himself in the role, going as far to gain some weight to look the role of a pudgy schlub. I laughed out loud many times throughout the film. The movie is based on real events, and to learn that the screenplay stays quite accurate to what happened makes the movie that much more appealing!

GRADE: A




The Box
Starring: James Marsden, Cameron Diaz and Frank Langella
Directed by Richard Kelly

The concept from the trailers makes one think that The Box is all about moral choices. Push this mysterious button and you'll get a million dollars, but someone in the world that you don't know will die. Ok...seems interesting. I know I'd push the button in a New York Minute! But this lead in has little to do with what transpires for the next hour and a bit. What does happen is the writer/director, Richard Kelly, loses his freakin' mind!!! Without giving too much away, some guy dies after getting hit by lightning, comes back to life after a martian...yes, martian...takes over his body, and now must test the human race. If that sounds weird, try watching it. The movie becomes a mismash of scenes that make no sense what-so-ever, plot lines that are totally forgotten about, and a Twin Peaks feels to the characters around the stars. Richard Kelly is responsible for the darkly funny, but confusing, Donnie Darko and one of the worst movies I've ever seen, Southland Tales. Well, he outdoes himself with The Box. It makes no sense at all and almost seems like an inside joke that you're way outside of. The performances are great either, as Cameron Diaz adopts an accent somewhere between New England and China!! And she looked terrible through most of the film, too. That may not be too important, but when the story goes crazy, at least it would have been nice to ogle Diaz.

GRADE: F


Motherhood
Starring: Uma Thurman, Anthony Edwards and Minnie Driver
Directed by Katherine Dieckmann

Unfunny comedy written by director Dieckmann who apparently hates being a woman, mother, and possibly, human! Uma Thurman plays a mother of two trying to plan her daughters sixth birthday in what turns out to be the most trying day of her life. I will give the movie this much, if the director wanted to create a feeling of exhaustion then she succeeded. Thurman runs, drives, bikes all over lower Manhattan to come up with the perfect party, all the while trying to write a 500 word piece about what motherhood means to her. Anthony Edwards in inconsequencial as the husband who, obviously, comes up with the right things to say at just the right time. Minnie Driver was enjoyable as the pregnant friend, but was hardly a factor in the plot either. Too much Uma can never be bad, but spouting out the words written by Dieckmann was real close. The kids weren't even all that cute!

GRADE: D-


Well, that's all I saw this week. Come back for more reviews...if you want...and let me know what you thought. (Of the movies, not me...or me...I don't care!)