Intolerable Cruelty

Movie Name: Intolerable Cruelty
Year of Release: 2003
Director: Joel & Ethan Coen
Starring: George Clooney, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Geoffrey Rush, Billy Bob Thornton, Edward Herrmann, Paul Adelstein, Cedric the Entertainer, Richard Jenkins, Julia Duffy, Jonathan Hadary, Tom Aldredge, Stacey Travis, Jack Kyle
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
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Synopsis and Review:

Following the stylistic "The Man Who Wasn't There", the Coen brothers returned with a detour to lighthearted comedy, something that they previously did so well with "Raising Arizona", "O Brother Where Art Thou?", "The Big Lebowski", and less so successfully on "The Hudsucker Proxy". The film focuses on the story of two characters: one of them being Miles Massey, a well known divorce attorney, one who always wins, and has even devised a pre-nuptial agreement, which is considered iron clad. The other central character is Marylin Rexroth, currently married to a very wealthy man, who likes to fool around. Following a particularly tryst, Marilyn pushes for divorce, in the hopes of getting half of her husband's fortune, however Miles manages to portray her as a shrewd and conniving con artist, looking for nothing but her money's husband since the beginning, and manages to defeat her intents. As the story unfolds, Marilyn then finds someone else, in the guise of a rich oilman, whom she intends to marry, and she hires Miles to provide the Massey Pre-Nup as a proof of her genuine love (and no hidden agenda to it). Miles who is increasingly falling in love with Marilyn agrees to it, even going to the wedding. A few months later, Marilyn has divorced her oil tycoon, and is apparently living well off, and comes across Miles in Las Vegas, where he's about to be the main lecturer. As their attraction continues, they end up getting married, with Miles failing to sign the pre-nup, which exposes him to whatever Marilyn's intentions are.

"Intolerable Cruelty" has a slickness to it which is undeniable, since this is after all a Coen brothers film, and therefore the level of polish and sophistication is expected. However where the film does lack and fails to arrest attention, is precisely on its timing, on the lack of a biting satire, something that Billy Wilder would have elevated to bigger heights. It's a perfectly placid film, with some elements of absurd and humor, but overall, it's a predictable endeavor, populated with very handsome people, but where there isn't enough charisma to make it more memorable. The supporting cast for the most part, tries to brighten up the narrative, with Edward Herrmann, Geoffrey Rush and Billy Bob Thornton deftly bringing some sparks of color to this somewhat dour painting. The central duo engage in this manicured battle of seduction, and while George Clooney allows for some absurdity and fear to manifest through the cracks of Miles, Catherine Zeta-Jones is for the most part very aloof and fails to provide any personality to Marilyn. It's a film that feels under-developed, where characters are rendered very uniformly, and even the attempts at screwball type of humor, just don't hit the mark. What's left is pretty much a glamorous and well done film with no soul or substance. The cinematography from Roger Deakins is as always impeccable, as is the score from Carter Burwell. Forgettable.

Nomadland

Movie Name: Nomadland
Year of Release: 2020
Director: Chloe Zao
Starring: Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, Linda May, Swankie, Tay Strathairn, Bob Wells
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
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Synopsis and Review:

Editor/Writer/Producer and Director Chloe Zao, has followed her acclaimed "The Rider", with another well received film, this time around an adaptation of the book by Jessica Bruder. The film follows the story of Fern, a woman who following the recession of 2008/2009, finds herself without a job, and even more dramatically, mourning the painful death of her husband. The small town where they both lived is almost a ghost town, following the closure of the plant where they worked. Fern decides to sell most of her things, and live on her van, traveling around and working when needed. She takes a seasonal job with Amazon at one of their fulfillment centers, but following the advice of one of her friends, decides to travel south, towards Arizona, and meet with other Nomads who have created a support group of sorts for individuals going through similar experiences. She takes a few other jobs in between, and connects with a fellow nomad by the name of David, who eventually chooses to go back and live with his son and his family. As Fern navigates these situations, and some additional challenges, including repairs on her van, something that forces her to contact her sister and ask for help, the more she realizes where she wants to be.

One of the most captivating aspects of "Nomadland" is the lack of artifice that it has, the authenticity that it captures, and particularly how alive Fern actually comes across. The score that permeates the film, actually ends up being a distracting factor, particularly when there are characters on screen. The director has managed to capture not just the nomad aspect of these people's lives, but more importantly, the sometimes unbearable weight of life they all carry with them, which continuously instigates them to drive around, live without a sense of roots. In a way, standing still for these characters is a way for this overload of pain to catch up with them. Fern, perfectly brought to life by the always fantastic Frances McDormand, is a woman dealing with her own challenges, just making her way through life, carrying the weight of some of her past decisions, and also the pain of her losses. As she comes across different people, we learn a bit about some of these individuals and more about Fern's resilience and path in life. It's a film made of this progressive exploration of what this character is all about, of understanding how people who at times live in the fringes of society, shouldn't be ignored for that. This sense of a journal in the life of Fern, is beautifully rendered, thanks to Frances McDormand's performance, with the great support of the always phenomenal David Strathairn, but also through the lens of Joshua James Richards. A wonderful film worth watching. 

Tacones Lejanos/High Heels

Movie Name: Tacones Lejanos/High Heels
Year of Release: 1991
Director: Pedro Almodovar
Starring: Victoria Abril, Marisa Paredes, Miguel Bose, Feodor Atkine, Cristina Marcos, Anna Lizaran, Bibi Andersen, Nacho Martinez, Javier Bardem, Miriam Diaz-Aroca, Pedro Diez del Corral, Mayrata O'Wisiedo
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review:

Pedro Almodovar started the 90s with "Tacones Lejanos", which also marked his third collaboration with leading actress Victoria Abril (after a small part in "La Ley Del Deseo" and the lead in "Atame"). The film follows the story of Rebeca Giner, who is the daughter of well known singer Becky del Paramo. Rebeca is currently a television news broadcaster, and we find her at the Madrid airport, awaiting the return of her mother, after her long stint of living in Mexico. Rebeca is currently married to Manuel, the owner of the TV station where she works, who coincidentally, is also one of her mother's former lovers. Wanting to reintroduce her mother to the cultural life in Madrid, particularly the one related to her career, they all go see a drag show with the performer by the name of Letal, one of Rebeca's best friends. Rebeca and Letal end up having sex backstage, and in the ensuing days, Manuel confesses he wants to divorce Rebeca, in order to pursue Becky once more. A month later Manuel is murdered, after spending the night with one of his mistresses. The investigation, led by Judge Dominguez, focuses on Rebeca and her mother, since Rebeca found the body and knew about the extra-marital affairs of his husband. Rebeca breaks down and confesses to the murder on live TV, much to the dismay of her mother. As she is sent to prison, the Judge suspects there is more to the story, and continues investigating, uncovering more hidden drama.

As is typical of Pedro Almodovar's films, the menagerie of characters he puts in place are always unique and fascinating, and "Tacones Lejanos" is no exception. This film in particular references and is influenced by Ingmar Bergman's "Autumn Sonata", in the sense that it focuses on the strained relationship between mother and daughter. In this case, the central character Rebeca, always feels much like a supporting player in her mother's life, and never quite good enough to fulfill her expectations, whereas Becky though loving Rebeca, does focus all her energy solely on her needs and her accomplishments. This complicated relationship extends to their lovers and amorous relationships. The narrative is complimented with the introduction of the third axis, played by Miguel Bose, who simultaneously plays Letal and the Judge, throwing the motion of the narrative into disarray, playing with gender roles, and generally, infusing the film with the more transgressive aspect that Almodovar's films always have. It's a film that is still peppered with humor, but this time around, the dramatic aspect of the narrative is the focus, particularly with Rebeca's central journey, who like many of the director's female heroines, is stretched a bit too thin in her life. The trio of performers is fantastic, with Victoria Abril, Marisa Paredes and Miguel Bose, all creating indelible characters. Stylistically the film still has many of the signature points of the director (at least from the first part of his career), thanks to the impeccable work of cinematographer Alfredo F. Mayo, which is also complimented by the score of the wonderful Ryuichi Sakamoto. Even if the third act of the film doesn't feel quite as well resolved as the previous ones, it's still a film always worth revisiting, from one of the most interesting filmmakers working these days.

Resident Evil: Apocalypse

Movie Name: Resident Evil: Apocalypse
Year of Release: 2004
Director: Alexander Witt
Starring: Milla Jovovich, Sienna Guillory, Oded Fehr, Thomas Kretschmann, Jared Harris, Mike Epps, Sandrine Holt, Zack Ward, Iain Glenn, Razaaq Adoti
Genre: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
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Synopsis and Review:

Following the success of Paul W. S. Anderson's first "Resident Evil", a sequel was inevitable. The film marked the feature directorial debut of Alexander Witt, one of the most well known second unit film directors, who has worked on features such as Jan de Bont's "Speed", Doug Liman's "The Bourne Identity" and more recently Sam Mendes's "Spectre". The film picks up after the events of the original "Resident Evil". Raccoon City has been overrun by zombies, and the remaining survivors are trying to flee as quickly as possible. The Umbrella Corporation, fearing for a spread of the virus, keeps the city walls closed, while still experimenting with the effects of the T-virus on particular subjects. Alice awakens in a hospital, and realizes what is happening in the city. As she situates herself, she eventually comes across a group of survivors, led by Jill Valentine, a former special forces member. They are contacted by an Umbrella employee, Dr. Ashford, who assures them he can evacuate them from the city, in exchange for them recovering his daughter, who is still stranded in the city. They only have a few hours to do so, since Umbrella is planning on decimating the entire city in order to contain the virus. The group sets forth in their mission, while Umbrella releases one of their test subjects, Nemesis, on the city, with the intent of battling Alice.

The whole "Resident Evil" series, as shepherded by Paul W. S. Anderson, was always an economical one in terms of narrative. The films have never aimed to be more than polished B-movies, and therefore always focus on delivering on their premise, namely showcasing its central hero, overcoming considerable odds, in a nearly extinct planet. The main problem with the films, something that this one once again demonstrates, is the fact that this economical writing, prevents the characters of being more than just the casual passer by, or someone who comes into the narrative and then simply disappears, without much thought or consequence for that matter. Alice, the central core to the films, is also very superficially drawn, and even after 6 films, it's never entirely materialized what and who she in fact is. "Apocalypse" in particular, tries to be an escape film, but never manages to sufficiently create a sense of urgency, menace or for that matter, dread, particularly considering that all the characters are surrounded by zombies. The film focuses quite a bit on action set pieces, which are well executed, but aside from those, there isn't much to it. Milla Jovovich tries to bring some dimension to the character, some inner conflict and residues of guilt and redemption, but the film is clearly more interested in her fighting prowess, more so than her emotional arc. It's a film that is in fact a stepping stone for the subsequent ones, though it doesn't add much to the lore of this series. Forgettable.

Vacation

Movie Name: Vacation
Year of Release: 2015
Director: John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein
Starring: Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Skyler Gisondo, Steele Stebbins, Leslie Mann, Chris Hemsworth, Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Charlie Day, Catherine Missal, Ron Livingston, Norman Reedus, Keegan-Michael Kay, Regina Hall
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
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Synopsis and Review:

The team comprised of actor John Francis Daley and writer Jonathan Goldstein, firstly made their name as screenwriting partners, before finally embarking on their first feature as directors with "Vacation". The film is a sequel of sorts to the "National Lampoon" series which the late writer/director John Hughes set in motion in the 80s, with Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo, as the heads of the Griswold family. The first film of that particular series came out in 83, with "National Lampoon's Vacation", which was followed by "European Vacation" in 85 and "Christmas Vacation" in 89. This continuation of that universe follows the story of Rusty Griswold, now an adult with a family of his own, who is an airline pilot for a regional airline. Rusty witnesses how his family has lost touch with each other, and much like his father 30 years ago, decides to take them all on a road trip, with the destination being Walley World. While his wife Debbie would love nothing more than to go to Paris, they set forth on the road trip, in a European SUV of sorts, during which they have all sorts of hurdles and occurrences. The pit stops to their destination include visiting Rusty's sister Audrey, who is married to the local weather man and debonair, Stone Crandall, but also Debbie's University and sorority house, and of course Rusty's parents, Clark and Ellen Griswold. The road trip challenges all of their resilience, but eventually forces the whole family to reassess what they want and where they want to be collectively. 

Finding narrative arcs as rich and colorful as the ones John Hughes built is not an easy task. "Vacation" through the penmanship and direction of John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein tries to do so, but more often than not, it veers towards the crude, and less towards the humorous. The directors try to emulate some of the narrative threads of the original "Vacation", but fail to effectively capture on one hand, the spark that existed between the original characters, and on the other, the sense of adventure that made the road trip of the 80s simultaneously nostalgic and fun. As the narrative evolves, the humor relies more and more on gross out stunts, with the third act of the film fizzling out. The emotional core of the film, or the realization and epiphanies of the characters at the end of the narrative, feel more like a footnote, and not part of the climax that should have been their collective reach out of Walley World. Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Leslie Mann, Skyler Gisondo all give their best, but they're somewhat limited by what the film sets out to do and deliver. It had potential, but sadly it's an unfulfilled continuation of a memorable series of the 80s. 

The Shadow

Movie Name: The Shadow
Year of Release: 1994
Director: Russell Mulcahy
Starring: Alec Baldwin, John Lone, Penelope Anne Miller, Ian McKellen, Tim Curry, Peter Boyle, Jonathan Winters, Sab Shimono, Andre Gregory, James Hong
Genre: Action, Adventure
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
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Synopsis and Review:

The early 90s saw the revival of classic comic book characters, following the success of Tim Burton's "Batman". Disney had its attempts with the visually gorgeous "Dick Tracy", starring and directed by Warren Beatty, followed by Joe Johnston's "Rocketeer", both of which were met with different critical accolades and commercial success. Universal decided to tackle "The Shadow", a character which was a success on radio serials in the 1930s and also on its own magazine up until 1949. The film focuses on Lamont Cranston, who we first witness as a drug baron in Tibet. After being kidnapped, he comes face to face with a holy man, possessed of special powers, who offers him a chance at redemption. He learns much of his skills, including altering people's perception and even hypnotizing them. He returns to New York City, and starts battling crime under the guise of The Shadow. He has a network of aides, all of whom are comprised of people he has saved in the past. His biggest threat, and to the city itself, comes in the shape of Shiwan Khan, a former protégé of Lamont's guru, who is intent on seizing power and obliterating all on his path. Khan's plan is to use the works of Dr. Lane, who coincidentally has a daughter with special perception powers of her own, Margo. Lamont will have to rely on all his strength and his network's ingenuity in order to overcome this herculean foe. 

"The Shadow", much like Paramount Pictures's "The Phantom" which came out in 1996, were both met with some indifference. Partially because they're both characters that have less resonance than Bob Kane's Batman, a character that has been part of the lexicon of comic books since it was created, and which has been reinvented so many times throughout the decades. Russell Mulcahy, the Australian director who made a name for himself directing music videos in the 80s, and had considerable success with "Highlander", was coming from "The Real McCoy", a film that didn't fare so well. The biggest issue with "The Shadow", is the uncertainty of tone that pervades its entire narrative. Whereas Tim Burton with his "Batman" series for instance, never really dated it or established a specific timeline, but definitely reinforced its dark tone, Russell Mulcahy clearly identifies the action of the narrative as the 1930s/1940s, whereas the tone is borderline campy at times. This lack of a more consistent point of view ends up being the downfall of the film. It's not dark enough to make its hero a tortured soul, and it's not campy enough to be a lighthearted and retro-aspiring comedy/adventure. The film does manage to have an excellent cast, who sadly don't have much to do, including the always fantastic Ian McKellen, John Lone, Peter Boyle, Jonathan Winters and Tim Curry (who hams it up quite a bit). Alec Baldwin tries to do the best he can with this character, but both the lack of depth and edge to the character itself, fail him, the same going for Penelope Anne Miller's Margo. The film does benefit from Stephen H. Burum's wonderful cinematography, Jerry Goldsmith's score, not to mention Joseph C. Nemec III's gorgeous production design, but the visual effects are rough, and don't really make the events of the narrative soar. Unlike Warren Beatty's uneven but still superlative pop art endeavor which was "Dick Tracy", "The Shadow" fails to materialize much interest. A missed opportunity.

Starman

Movie Name: Starman
Year of Release: 1984
Director: John Carpenter
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Karen Allen, Charles Martin Smith, Richard Jaeckel, Robert Phalen, Tony Edwards, John Walter Davis, Ted White
Genre: Sci-Fi, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
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Synopsis and Review:

The story behind the making of "Starman" is quite colorful, considering all the talent who almost directed the film itself, names such as Adrian Lyne, Tony Scott, John Badham, before producer Michael Douglas eventually settling on John Carpenter. Carpenter at a time was on a fantastic streak, coming off "Escape from New York", which was followed by "The Thing" and the Stephen King adaptation, "Christine". Written by Bruce A. Evans and Raynold Gideon, who also wrote Rob Reiner's Stephen King adaptation, "Stand by Me", the film follows the story of Jenny Hayden, a recent widower. One night while sleeping, she's oblivious to the fact that not very far from her cabin in Wisconsin, an alien spacecraft crash landed. This ship, with a sole occupant, was on a scouting endeavor prompted by the launch of a space probe years earlier. This occupant reaches Jenny's cabin, and uses one of the locks of hair from her recently deceased husband, in order to clone him, and reach out to his companions, in hopes of being rescued. As Jenny reluctantly agrees to accompany him to Arizona, the Starman learns what truly means to be human, the same way Jenny finds a way to recover from her loss. 

"Starman" which at the time of the project's early conception was deemed too similar to Steven Spielberg's "ET" (both feature aliens who are stranded on Earth), definitely veers in a direction of its own. While both films highlight the destructive nature of humankind, particularly towards everything and everyone that is different, "Starman" offers a more relationship driven approach to the topic (whereas "ET" veered towards a more childlike exploration of friendship and tolerance). The journey of the Starman, in reaching his destination, is ultimately about uncovering what humanity is all about, something that is echoed in the rebirth experienced by Jenny, after being left alone and devastated by the death of her husband. It's a film that perfectly marries the grandiose aspect of sci-fi, with the intimate aspect of the relationship that is established between those two characters. Jeff Bridges is perfectly cast as the central character, embodying the awkwardness of finding himself in a strange body, in a strange world, dealing with all sorts of emotions that are alien to him. It's a grounded and joyful performance, one that has been copied many times since, but without the glimmer, uniqueness and authenticity he always brings to all his performances. The supporting cast is equally strong, with the underrated Karen Allen creating a wonderfully wounded, but finally hopeful Jenny, the same going for Charles Martin Smith. The film is definitely a perfect example of how the always terrific John Carpenter, creates narratives that are uniquely his, where his heroes are always somewhat lost and in potentially hostile ground, and yet, manage to overcome their challenges and vanquish their odds. The cinematography from Donald M. Morgan is impeccable as is the score from Jack Nitzsche. A great film always worth revisiting.

The Mummy Returns

Movie Name: The Mummy Returns
Year of Release: 2001
Director: Stephen Sommers
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Freddie Boath, Oded Fehr, Patricia Velasquez, Alun Armstrong, Dwayne Johnson, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Shaun Parkes, Bruce Byron, Joe Dixon, Tom Fisher, Aharon Ipale
Genre: Adventure, Adventure
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
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Synopsis and Review:

After the success of the first Mummy film, a sequel was inevitable. "The Mummy Returns" was another huge hit, paving way for a few more subsequent films related to this mythology, one being a prequel, and one a final sequel, which did not feature all of the original cast. "The Mummy Returns" takes place in 1933, with Rick and Evelyn now happily married and with a young child in tow, the adventurous Alex. While exploring another site, they uncover the Bracelet of Anubis, which they bring to London. While in London, Evelyn is captured by an Egyptian cult, who once again resurrect Imhotep with the Book of the Dead. They want him to seize power over the late and mythical Scorpion King's army and ultimately rule the world. As Rick, Jonathan and Alex go in pursuit of Evelyn, eventually freeing her, but then lose Alex who in the meantime has the Bracelet firmly on his wrist. This bracelet gives directions to the desert where the Scorpion King was exiled. As they get closer to the final destination, and Alex leaves clues behind so his parents can catch up to him, Evelyn realizes there's something unique tying her to all this ancient History. It's up to them to save Alex and stop both Imhotep and the Scorpion King. 

Writer/Director Stephen Sommers expands the cast of characters and mythology around this universe with this sequel. In essence the film continues in the spirit of the previous one, but with a loftier budget, meaning more digital effects, which once again are more distracting than exactly an enhancement to the virtuosity of the storytelling. The film manages at its best, to capture some of the thrill and adventure of Steven Spielberg's "Indiana Jones" films, though this one never gets quite as dark as "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom", which also introduced a young child as a sidekick to the leading man. Alex and Jonathan (once again), are the comedic support, balancing the somewhat seriousness of the dashing Rick, and even Evelyn, who in this sequel becomes more stately and not so much the clumsy intellectual she was introduced as in the first feature. This is once again, a polished B-movie with no pretensions, but as the narrative introduces more characters, each battling for their relevance in the overall arc being showcased, the narrative itself becomes too indulgent, with too many characters wanting their prime spot, with not enough left for them to do. The introduction of the Scorpion King for instance, is very brief, and by the time he returns, it's nothing but a badly rendered digital creation. What has always been interesting about Spielberg's films, particularly his more entertaining endeavors, is how economically and succinct he can be with the narrative and showcasing his characters. Sadly in "The Mummy Returns", just adding more villains, more digital armies, didn't translate as more enthusiasm or a better film. The three leads continue to be just as enticing, as is the score from Alan Silvestri. The cinematography from Adrian Biddle is fantastic as is the production design from Allan Cameron. Watchable but ultimately forgettable.

The Mummy

Movie Name: The Mummy
Year of Release: 1999
Director: Stephen Sommers
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Kevin J. O'Connor, Arnold Vosloo, Jonathan Hyde, Oded Fehr, Erick Avari, Stephen Dunham, Corey Johnson, Tuc Watkins, Omid Djalili, Aharon Ipale, Bernard Fox, Patricia Velasquez
Genre: Adventure, Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
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Synopsis and Review:

Stephen Sommers who started his career in the 80s, and who solidified his path in the 90s, had his first big audience hit with "The Mummy", which made its premiere in May of 1999. The film follows the story of Evelyn Carnahan and her prone to trouble brother, John Carnahan. Evelyn is a librarian and an aspiring Egyptologist, whereas John is always looking for the fastest route to richness. He comes to be in possession of a box with a map that details the path to Hamunaptra, the city of the dead. They manage to secure the hired help of Rick O'Connell, who actually discovered the city while in service with the French Foreign Legion. As they make their way to the lost city, they encounter a similar party of American explorers intent on discovering the city and its treasures. They eventually reach the locale and start their excavations, uncovering the Book of the Dead. Unknowing of its power, Evelyn reads it, releasing Imhotep, the high priest of Pharaoh Seti, who suffered a dark fate following his affair with one of the Pharaoh's mistresses and murdering the Pharaoh himself. This supernatural entity starts wreaking havoc, with only Rick, Evelyn and John to put a stop to its sinister plans.

"The Mummy" is an updated version of the Universal film with the same name which came out in 1932. Stephen Sommers, following his work for Disney with "The Jungle Book" and the action/horror "Deep Rising", which was released in 1998, combined some heavy influences from Steven Spielberg's "Raiders of the Lost Ark" with dashes of romantic comedies, to come out up this updated version of the classic. One of the most praise worthy aspects of this film, is the fact that it never takes itself seriously at all. It knows it's just silly fun, and the actors embark on that journey, taking it all in stride, while never veering off into open parody or camp. Stephen Sommers tries to capture the energy of Errol Flynn's films (such as Michael Curtiz's "The Adventures of Robin Hood"), with Brendan Fraser taking the center stage as the iconic, dashing and always quick witted Rick, who leads the journey and the acrobatics, much like Flynn in his most iconic films. The array of characters is of course barely developed, but the film essentially manages to be a B-movie with a hefty budget, which brings the special effects, and the title Mummy to life. The visual effects though at the time quite impressive, have aged quite a bit, and don't necessarily add dimension to the villainous presence of the mummy. The film could have actually conjured more scares with less digital wizardry, but in the end is harmless and forgettable fun. The lead cast has a series of solid actors, with Brendan Fraser leading the group, with great support from the excellent Rachel Weisz, John Hannah and Kevin J. O'Connor. The cinematography from the late Adrian Biddle is fantastic, as is the score from the iconic Jerry Goldsmith. While not entirely memorable, it's an unpretentious and fun film. 

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Movie Name: Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Year of Release: 1986
Director: John Hughes
Starring: Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jennifer Grey, Jeffrey Jones, Cindy Pickett, Lyman Ward, Edie McClurg, Charlie Sheen, Ben Stein, Del Close, Virginia Capers, Richard Edson, Larry Flash Jenkins
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
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Synopsis and Review:

Writer/Producer/Director John Hughes's body of work, particularly his directorial endeavors are forever associated with the string of comedies he did in the 1980s. One of his most celebrated features is of course "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", which premiered in 1986 and  went on to be a huge success. It was preceded by his equally celebrated and successful "Sixteen Candles", "The Breakfast Club" and "Weird Science". "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" follows the story of Ferris Bueller, a high school senior, who is adored by everyone at school, and who has been able to navigate through classes with minimum effort, much to the irritation of the school's principal, who wants nothing more than catch him at fault, and place him in detention (or even fail him). Ferris decides to skip another day of school, and enlists the assistance of his best friend Cameron. He prepares this intricate plan where he reports an ailment, forcing him to stay home, convincing his parents, but not his sister who resents the fact that he gets away with every single one of his schemes. He also doesn't convince the principal, who heads to his house in order to catch him faking it. Ferris is however already in downtown Chicago, enjoying a day of festivities with Cameron and Sloan, his girlfriend.

One of the best things about "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" is just how straightforward the premise is: a young kid, wants to skip school, and does so through a rather quick set up, taking along for the ride his best friend and his girlfriend. It's a film where all the comic timings are choreographed to perfection, with the lead character addressing the audience directly, and making us all accomplices in his dalliances and adventures throughout the city. It's a film that perfectly captures the joys of friendship, the uncertainty of what lies ahead, the fears of adulthood, all combined with a love for the city of Chicago, all of this sprinkled with a lot of physical comedy, embodied by Jeffrey Jones's Ed Rooney character. John Hughes was always able to infuse color and illustrate the challenges of adolescence, with his succinctly defined characters, how they invariably longed to be heard, all of this peppered with fantastic soundtracks. "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" may be the best summarization of his work, where its fluid rhythm, the performances from all the cast and the general tone are just spot on. Matthew Broderick is perfectly cast, flashing warmth, humor and charisma all in equal doses, with good support from Alan Ruck, Jeffrey Jones, Mia Sara, Jennifer Grey and Edie McClurg. The cinematography from Tak Fujimoto is fantastic, as is the score assembled by Ira Newborn and John Hughes himself. A great film always worth revisiting. 

But I'm a Cheerleader

Movie Name: But I'm a Cheerleader
Year of Release: 1999
Director: Jamie Babbit
Starring: Natasha Lyonne, Clea Duvall, Cathy Moriarty, Melanie Lynskey, Bud Cort, Mink Stole, RuPaul Charles, Michelle Williams, Eddie Cibrian, Katrina Phillips, Katharine Towne, Joel Michaely, Kip Pardue, Dante Basco, Brandt Wille, Robert Pine, Julie Delpy, Richard Moll, Wesley Mann 
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
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Synopsis and Review:

After directing a few shorts and some episodes of MTV's "Undressed", director Jamie Babbit made her directorial debut with "But I'm a Cheerleader" which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in 1999, but was also showcased at the Sundance Film Festival of 2000. The film follows the story of Megan, a high school senior, who is a cheerleader, and all around amiable student. Unbeknownst to her however, her boyfriend, some of her friends from school and her parents, stage an intervention, since they fear Megan is turning into a lesbian. Afraid of being abandoned by all, Megan agrees to go to this "sexual redirection" school, run by Mary Brown, with the assistance of an ex-gay man, Mike. Upon arrival Megan is introduced to the other participants, all going through the same "education", including Graham, a young woman to whom Megan is very much drawn to. As everyone gets to know each other, Megan progressively realizes more about herself, her wants and needs, eventually coming to terms with whom she actually is.

"But I'm a Cheerleader" is a film filled with good intentions and some good humor. It puts a very different spin on conversion therapy centers, opting to turn Mary Brown's school, into an etiquette and proper manners school very reminiscent of the America of the 1950s. The film obviously ridicules the whole concept of forcing someone to act against their true nature, and by extent, pokes fun at Mary Brown's school and she herself,  who very insistently drives her students to abide to clichés of what genders are suppose to behave as. It's a film that is very slight in story (and budget), but nonetheless, one that is filled with heart and humor. Sadly, though it borders on going to some dark aspects of conversion therapy centers, or families rejecting some of their own solely for refusing to accept who they are, it shies away of doing so, choosing instead to make this story more about a young woman's journey of self discovery and falling in love. It's very much a romantic comedy, but one without enough conviction to embrace both its kitschy and its romantic side. The cast does keep it interesting, particularly the always great Natasha Lyonne, with great support from Cathy Moriarty, Clea Duvall, Mink Stole, Bud Cort, RuPaul, Michelle Williams and Melanie Lynskey. Though it's a bit roughly assembled, it's still watchable courtesy of a great cast. 

Dangerous Liaisons

Movie Name: Dangerous Liaisons
Year of Release: 1988
Director: Stephen Frears
Starring: Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer, Swoosie Kurtz, Keanu Reeves, Uma Thurman, Mildred Natwick, Peter Capaldi, Joe Sheridan, Valerie Gogan, Laura Benson
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review:

After the well received double bill of "Prick Up Your Ears" and "Sammy and Rosie Get Laid", the prolific Stephen Frears tackled the adaptation of the Choderlos de Laclos book, which was also a play by Christopher Hampton, who tackled the screenplay (and went on to win an Academy Award for that adaptation). The film follows the story of the tortuous amorous games in Paris during the 18th century, particularly the ones played by Madame de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont. The Marquise who had an affair in the past with the Vicomte, calls upon him to seduce the bride to be of a lover who recently jilted her. The Vicomte denies her request, since he's engaged in a game of seduction with a married virtuous woman, Madame de Tourvel. His challenge, according to him, is to make her want him, and still remain a creature of virtue. When his plans are dashed, virtue of exchanged correspondence, he decides to seduce the young bride to be, even if it's against her will, in order to vex her mother, pleasing Madame de Merteuil in the process. Merteuil ups the ante on the game, and agrees to resume their affair, if the Vicomte indeed manages to seduce the beautiful and virtuous Tourvel. This sinuous game of seduction has dramatic outcomes. 

"Dangerous Liaisons" is a film that though being based on a stage play, manages to transcend it, transporting the viewers to the boudoir of all these characters. It's a film that has an astute sense of showcasing female sexuality, essentially demonstrating how women used their influence, at a time where their power and their roles were limited. Stephen Frears manages to infuse the film with a rhythm and cadence that is simultaneously dynamic, sumptuous and as the story unfolds, achingly romantic. There's something both classic and contemporary in the way the film captures the relationships between the lead characters, which makes this film so successful (particularly exhibited by the extreme awareness of the roles played by all players by the Marquise de Merteuil) . The supporting characters have less of an opportunity to be sufficiently developed, but the central trio is riveting and captivating. This film, probably more so than any other adaptation of the book thus far, benefits from a terrific cast, with Glenn Close and Michelle Pfeiffer in particular being devastatingly fantastic. The production design from the fantastic Stuart Craig is impeccable, as is the cinematography from Philippe Rousselot  and the score from George Fenton. A great film always worth revisiting.