Psycho (1998)

Synopsis

Title: Psycho (1998)

Genre: Horror

Rating: R (Violence, sexuality/nudity)

Running Time: 105 Minutes

Director: Gus Van Sant

Starring: Vince Vaughn, Anne Heche, Julianne Moore, Viggo Mortensen, William Macy, Robert Forester

Plot: A woman steals $400,000 and drives off with the money. She runs into an old motel off the main highway and meets Norman Bates. Norman runs the motel and has some obvious quirks about him. The woman would soon wish that she never made a stop at that motel.

My Take

This movie clearly lacked originality. In fact, it was pretty much a direct imitation of the original psycho. What was the purpose? The only difference was that this version was in color and there were different actors. The original Psycho was classic and I guess Gus Van Sant didn’t want to mess with ‘greatness’. The movie doesn’t worry about keeping realistic because the original didn’t worry about keeping scenes realistic. I did notice an obvious editing mistake: The house is on the right of the motel but one of the shots had it on the right.

What About Vince?

I thought Vince did an exceptional job as Norman Bates. He may have played the psycho role just a little early when he was in the long dinner scene with Anne Heche, who it should be noted also did brilliant in my opinon. Although I think he gave too much of his character away too early, I think that is a directorial mistake as opposed to Vince’s mistake. I guess he could argue the point, but ultimately that is probably up to the director. I thought Vince truly shined in this movie. One of his best performances for sure.

Should You Watch???

Watch if you haven’t seen the original, but if you’ve seen the original you’ve already seen this movie. There is nothing new here. Psycho is a movie classic and the updated version is not much worse than the original. I actually really enjoyed it if I’m going to be quite honest. It’s been a while since I saw the original and I thought that while it’s not the most realistic or horrifying movie, it is a classic. While imitation is not original, it doesn’t hurt or diminish the original. If anything, it is a huge complement that they kept everything the same. I would watch this movie again because I really enjoy horror films and Psycho is a classic in my eyes even if it isn’t the best movie.

Popcorn Rating

Kettle Corn

Clay Pigeons (1998)

Synopsis

Title: Clay Pigeons (1998)
Genre: Dark Comedy
Rating: R (Adult Situations, Violence, Profanity, Adult Humor)
Running Time: 104 Minutes
Director: David Dobkin
Starring: Vince Vaughn, Joaquin Phoenix, Janneane Garafolo, Georgina Cates, Scott Wilson, Vince Vieluf
Plot: Out in the country of Montana, an ordinary guy is mistaken by the FBI as a serial killer. As several people close to him wind up dead, he ironically is the one there to report to the sheriff’s office, which is hilariously naïve. The actual serial killer, Lester Long, eventually befriends Clay and it is a roller coaster of a ride from there.



My Take
Clay Pigeons was a directorial debut for David Dobkin. Before Clay Pigeons, he gained notoriety as a music video director. Another person involved in the movie but not mentioned is Ridley Scott who was the executive producer of the movie. Now I’m generally not a fan of black comedies, but I actually liked this movie. Often times black comedies are extremely weird and the plot makes no sense at all. Often times black comedies have no comedic moments whatsoever, but while Clay Pigeons had its weird moments I was able to follow the story and there were some comedic acting and dialogue. I am a big fan of both Vince Vaughn and Joaquin Phoenix so maybe that is part of the reason why I liked this movie. I also like Vince Vieluf. He does a perfect job as the dumb deputy Barney. I very much enjoyed watching this film.

What About Vince?
Vince played a very weird character in this movie. He played Lester (the molester) Long who was a serial killer who stabbed numerous woman to death. This role for Vince was different then his past roles which was nice to see. He was a cowboy who had a strong accent and had a very strange persona. While I liked him, I found his fake laugh to be annoying. I concede that it did add to the quirkiness of his character, so I’m sure it was intentional, but it was a little over the top. Other than that though, I liked his performance. He is starting to show some versatility and his performance in this movie has not gone unnoticed by fans of him and the movie.

Should You Watch???
This movie is not for everyone. Firstly, note the rating as there is some sexuality, violence and profanity. Secondly, not everyone enjoys the black comedy genre. I am usually included in that crowd, but for some reason I found myself enjoying the subtle comedy and plot twists. If you are looking for something a little different, check it out. If you are a fan of black comedies, chances are you’ll absolutely love this one.

Popcorn Rating

Kettle Corn

Becoming Jane (2007)

Synopsis

Title: Becoming Jane (2007)

Genre: Drama

Rating: PG

Running Time: 120 Minutes

Director: Julian Jarrold

Main Actors: Anne Hathaway, James McAvoy, Julie Walters, James Cromwell, Maggie Smith, Joe Anderson

Plot: Becoming Jane follows the life of early 19^th century writer Jane Austen. The movie is loosely based on fact, but the story about her personal life is somewhat unknown. Austin is credited for writing 6 novels including huge successes Pride and Prejudice and Emma. The movie was edited for re-rating and was originally PG-13.

My Take

I have a feeling that although this was not exactly my favorite type of movie, Becoming Jane will be hugely popular among females. I know my sisters will love this movie. I say it isn’t exactly my type of movie because I found it slow and boring at times. I also think it is a little bit too wordy. I know that Austen is known for her humor in her books and witty dialogue, but it got a little annoying to me. The storyline is familiar and good although I think the I-love-you-I-love-you-not can get a little tiresome. The costume design team did a good job making the costumes and set look 2 centuries old. I have no real complaints about the acting or directing. With this movie, you get about what you expect going in to the movie.

Should You Watch???

If you like Pride and Prejudice, you should love this movie. They are very similar. Could this be because Jane Austen wrote Pride and Prejudice? I actually prefered Pride and Prejudice to this movie, but I thought both were pretty good. This movie clearly attracts the female audience, but it is watchable if you are male. If you are a guy and want to do something nice for your female partner, offer to watch Becoming Jane. Just be aware that you may want to check the sports ticker on your computer or phone when the movie hits a dead spot.

Popcorn Rating

Kettle Corn

A Cool, Dry Place (1998)

Synopsis

Title: A Cool, Dry Place (1998)

Genre: Drama

Rating: PG-13

Running Time: 97 Minutes

Director: John N. Smith

Main Actors: Vince Vaughn, Monica Potter, Joey Lauren Adams, Bobby Moat, Devon Sawa

Plot: A single father (Vince Vaughn) balances his work as an attorney with the care of his five-year old son (Bobby Moat) and his work as a high school basketball coach in rural Kansas, where he moved after his wife abandoned him in Chicago. Just as he starts to develop a new relationship with a veterinarian's assistant (Joey Lauren Adams), his ex-wife (Monica Potter) suddenly reappears and wants to re-assert herself in her husband and son's life. On top of the romantic conflict, he is also suddenly presented with the opportunity of a lifetime to join a major firm in Dallas. Written by John Sacksteder

My Take

Usually when you hear about a single parent, you assume it is the mother who takes care of the kid. A Cool, Dry Place looks at the life of a single father whose wife left him. If there was one word for the film, I would say cute. The beginning of the film really emphasizes the father-son relationship. As the film moves on, it focuses more on the difficulties of managing a career and being a parent. This storyline is unfortunately very common in today’s environment. As I watched the movie, I found myself hoping that they would send some messages that were never sent. For example, the teen sex issues. The whole sub-story about the teen was awfully executed and never became resolved. Marriage is about unconditional love. This story proves that several people simply don’t understand what marriage is, and that’s sad. After watching The Locusts however, it was nice to see a little bit lighter hearted movie even if it had its sadder moments.

What About Vince?

Once again, Vince plays the nice guy that you like. He interacts well with his son. His character is believable. I have no complaints with his part.

Should You Watch???

It is not a bad movie. You could do much worse. I think they failed to deliver in the story department, but the story had potential to be very good. Vince Vaughn is good. I think you could watch this movie and be at least somewhat satisfied.

Popcorn Rating

Kettle Corn

Jurassic Park: The Lost World (1997)

Synopsis

Title: Jurassic Park: The Lost World (1997)

Genre: Adventure

Rating: PG-13

Running Time: 134 Minutes

Director: Steven Spielberg

Main Actors: Jeff Goldblum, Julianne Moore, Pete Postlethwaite, Vince Vaughn, Richard Attenborough, Peter Stormare

Plot: This is the second movie of the Jurrasic Park trilogy. We discover that there was a second island full of dinosaurs that was used as a breeding ground for the original Jurassic Park. Dr. John Hammond decides to send four adventurers to monitor the dinosaur’s lifestyle before a group named INGEN comes to the island. INGEN wants to capture the dinosaurs, take them back to San Diego, and form a “dino” park.

My Take

Unlike the original Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton did not write the script for The Lost World. The script wasn’t terrible, but if memory serves me it was not nearly as good as the first Jurassic Park. This movie was a blockbuster when it came out 10 years ago and it got nominated for several awards, but a lot changes in 10 years. The dinosaurs look good, they must have looked amazing 10 years ago, but the rest of the visual effects were not so good. A number of destruction scenes and plot developments were comical. This is an action/adventure/thriller but it was more of a comedy from my perspective. There were plenty of one-liners and awed faces throughout the movie. Although nothing will ever top the first Jurassic Park where the T-Rex ate the guy sitting on the john, it is still hilarious watching T-Rex kill people. If you haven’t seen the movie you might think that is a terrible thing to say, but watch the movie and tell me with a straight face you didn’t laugh. This movie had a scene where a guy hiding from the T-Rex found a snake on himself and cried “a snake!” and walked right into the T-Rex’s mouth. It’s comedic moments like these, although I’m not sure they were meant to be funny, that make this movie entertaining. However, the music by John Williams is legendary. Some of the acting was good, some was bad, and Jeff Goldblum’s eyebrows are just plain ugly!

What About Vince?

Vince Vaughn did an excellent job in this movie. He played the part of Nick Van Owen who is a photographer and one of the four chosen by Dr. Hammond to monitor the island. True to form, Vaughn delivers comedic relief that only he can. He delivers quick and witty lines at the perfect time and he comes off as a very likable character in this role as opposed to the jerk, which he also plays very well. The movie would not have been nearly as good without Vince Vaughn in my opinion.

Should You Watch???

I think you must watch the original Jurassic Park before you see this one. The original was just that, original, and it was a huge success and deservedly so. The Lost World is not as good as the original Jurassic Park but it will provide you with some of the same comedic dinosaur destructive action you came to know and love in the first one. While I wouldn’t say this was a great movie by any means, I’d say it’s entertaining. There is some violence, but nothing compared to what we are used to seeing these days. Don’t expect a real action/thriller, but I think you’ll be entertained. Just expect to laugh at spots where you shouldn’t be laughing.

Popcorn Rating

Kettle Corn

John Q. (2002)

Synopsis

Title: John Q. (2002)

Genre: Drama

Rating: PG-13

Running Time: 116 Minutes

Director: Nick Cassavetes

Main Actors: Denzel Washington, Kimberly Elise, Daniel E. Smith, James Woods, Robert Duval, Anne Hache

Plot: Is there a national health care crisis in the United States? When a man’s son is stricken with a heart condition, he is not able to pay for the operation. He decides he must take matters into his own hands.

My Take

I heard really good things about this movie, so when I saw it on tv I used my good old DVR. Let me begin with what I didn’t like so much about this movie. Firstly, although Denzel did an excellent job as always, the rest of the actors did average at best. Kimberly Elise received recognition for her acting in this movie, but I didn’t feel it warranted attention although she was probably better than the rest of the cast. It was a drama but it almost felt like a documentary on the health care system. I felt like the movie should be intense, but it felt more like watching a video in health class. I found it amusing when Denzel beats the crap out of one of the hostages and the other hostages were laughing. I know they wanted to show that his character was a nice guy, the hostages liked him and he was just put in a bad situation, but I don’t see any hostages laughing in this situation and it makes the whole movie almost a mockery. The cheering crowd outside? Give me a break. Let me be clear, this movie was more about sending a message than it was about telling a great story. Those two things should be the same, but they aren’t always. I felt the plot had some obvious question marks. I made it sound like this is a terrible movie, but it’s not. I actually liked this movie for the most part. It will make you think about the health care system in our country, and you will feel for Denzel and his family. Things are not always black and white, and this movie drives home that point.

Should You Watch???

I think you should watch this movie. Denzel is an awesome actor and he gives a very good performance here. I think about another Denzel Washington movie, Inside Man, which was a very good movie dealing with a hostage situation only he was on the outside instead of the inside. I realize I was pretty harsh on my take, but it was only because I expected something a little better than what I got. It was entertaining enough despite it’s flaws for me to give you the go ahead to watch this movie.

Popcorn Rating

Kettle Corn

Thumbsucker (2005)

Synopsis

Title: Thumbsucker (2005)

Genre: Drama

Rating: R

Running Time: 96 minutes

Director: Mike Mills

Main Actors: Lou Taylor Pucci, Tilda Swinton, Vince Vaughn, Vincent D’Onofrio, Keanu Reeves,

The Plot: Justin Conn is a teenager who has a difficult time with his peers. In response to all the anxiety in his life, Justin resorts to sucking his thumb. The boy struggles to find an identity for himself.

My Take

Thumbsucker is a unique film in many ways. The direction of the film was unusual, but not all bad. There were times when the screen went all pink and random images floated across the screen. This would have made since perhaps in certain situations, but it seemed out of place. I also thought that some of the scenes were too choppy and repetitive; it gave me the feeling of low budget. However, the acting in this movie was excellent! Vince Vaughn is one of my favorite actors and although he was not the main actor, I enjoyed his part. He plays as the teacher Mr. Geary and provides some humor in a story that is at times almost overwhelmingly sad. Lou Taylor Pucci does a good job as the troubled teenager, and the whole cast did a good job with their parts. Like I said earlier, the story is sad but it is also engaging. I think they used too much dialogue to explain the story instead of letting it come naturally, and the directing was a little too weird at times for my taste, but over all I enjoyed the film.

Should You Watch???

You should watch for the acting and for an engaging story. It is not uplifting and I did not like the teenage drug use or the profanity from young children. If these things in particular turn you off, then you might not want to watch the film but I will say that it is not like that throughout most of the movie. If you can look past some of these things and take the movie for what it’s worth, I think it’s worthy of a couple hours of your time. You will see how poor parenting can affect a child, and how anxieties in a child’s life can become overwhelming without faith, help and understanding from those who are closest to them.

Popcorn Rating

Kettle Corn

Transformers (2007)

Synopsis

Title: Transformers
Genre: Sci-Fi Action
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 140 minutes
Director: Michael Bay
Main Actors: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Jon Voight, Anthony Anderson
Plot: War between good transformers (Autobots) and bad transformers (Decepticons) leads to major destruction on earth. The only way to end the war is to destroy the cube that would grant infinite power before the Decepticons find it and destroy the human race.

My Take

Transformers were huge when I was a little kid, but I don't remember much about them. I do remember having toy transformers and I always thought they were pretty cool. Well now they made a movie and I have mixed feelings. Sci-Fi is not my genre, but there were some positives I took away from this movie.

Story: The story was pretty lame. When I talk about the story I am taking into account what the story is about, how the story is told, and how much the story grabs me and pulls me in emotionally. I felt no emotional attachment to any of the characters or the Autobots. The story like most sci-fi stories was a little out there, but that doesn't bother me if it can be told in a way that can make me believe in the characters. From start to finish I didn't really care about what happened in the movie and that to me is a major flaw.

The Rest: Generally when I don't care for the story, I don't care at all for the movie but Transformers had some positives. The music and sound effects were solid. The focus of the movie was clearly special effects and computer animation and this was pretty solid albeit over the top at times. Michael Bay is known for his big explosions. There was plenty of action, mostly computer generated, but there was also some comedic moments. I think every movie needs some comedic moments and Transformers definitely had them although I never found myself laughing. I found myself waiting for the transformers to fight each other. No matter how average the story and acting, I found it a bit of a rush to see the transformers transform from cars to massive robots. I probably would have liked it better if the whole movie consisted of Autobots and Decepticons fighting and just throw out the story and other characters. No actor really stood out to me as having a great performance. This movie was all about the Transformers.

Should You Watch???

Watch Transformers if you don't care about a plot or storyline. If you like action and big explosions and watching cars drive themselves and turn into robots, this is definitely the movie for you. I would recommend this movie if you want to sit back, relax, give your brain a break, and enjoy some special effects. It won't wow you, but it will be somewhat entertaining.

Popcorn Rating

Kettle Corn