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Reviews
Holly (2006)
A Fine Film
"Holly" is an issue-driven film, but it is neither manipulative nor overly sentimental. At its heart is it is a character-driven film, which wouldn't be nearly so successful without the fleshed-out portrayals of Patrick (Ron Livingston), the lost soul with the gradually awakening conscience, and Holly (Thuy Nguyen), the strong-willed but ultimately over-matched young Vietnamese girl. From the vibrant locations and photography to the effective editing, everything is forthright and well-done. The contemporary classical score may put some off at first, but it is top-notch composition and underscores the admirable restraint which is evident throughout. This film, which raises many issues but provides few clear-cut answers, ultimately succeeds in raising awareness of and compassion for Holly and the many who share her plight. Kudos to those who managed to get it made.
Fireproof (2008)
Two scenes don't a great movie make, but they can make a very good one
The two scenes are 1) When Caleb explodes at Catherine, creating a nearly irreparable rift in their marriage, and 2) When he apologizes to her.
Although there are weaknesses elsewhere in the film, these two scenes are pitch-perfect and, in my opinion, the main reasons why this movie works so well as a whole. Together they provide a very strong structure on which the rest of the movie depends: On one hand, the admission of rupture, brokenness, and failure, and on the other hand the plea for forgiveness.
Kirk Cameron is the only "name" actor in this film, and his performance is professional, but I was very impressed with Erin Bethea. Not only does her beauty remind me of a young Kate Jackson, but all her scenes were deeply felt and sensitively played. I hope we'll be seeing a lot more of her work.
Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)
A half-hearted recommendation
I can only give this film a lukewarm recommendation. It has nothing to do with the thesis. Those who have commented that Venona intelligence somehow vindicated McCarthy by proving that there were highly-placed Soviet spies are, at the very least, putting the cart before the horse. McCarthy or no McCarthy, it was assumed that there was a Soviet spy network operating in the US, and that it would be placed as highly as the Soviets could manage (otherwise, what would be the point?). However, the thesis of this film only addresses McCarthy's *methods*, and the passive tendency of TV as a medium in general. At any rate, there is no indication that McCarthy had any direct access to Venona intelligence, which was unavailable to Truman and Eisenhower.
No, the film didn't thoroughly impress me just because it wasn't that good. Every scene was skin deep, there was no probing into character or motivation and nothing going on below the surface. The direction was undistinguished, a connect-the-dots job, and the inclusion of the jazz numbers (which in themselves were very good) added nothing, and evoked such devices used on pedestrian TV shows, such as "Ally McBeal" and the like. What little development there was, was so painfully foreshadowed by the acting that it came as little surprise.
This just coasted along on a rather obvious "Newsreel Noir" atmosphere, a competent ensemble cast, and the quiet charisma of Strathairn as Murrow. Ironically, it offers as little to chew on as most of the medium it's critical of.
The Proposition (2005)
Where is this place? Amateurish "Western" substitutes gore for credibility and characterization
Despite some good outback atmosphere (which cost no more than the film in the camera), I found "The Proposition" to be lacking in almost everything except potential.
I couldn't figure out where the hell this was supposed to be. Is it a town, or a military outpost? What exactly is being defended here? If it's a town, there are few townspeople - and no town. All there is is a jail house and a stall that apparently sells turkeys. No sign of commerce at all, yet they repeat a shot of a "hotel" standing by itself. Like there would be a hotel in a place where nobody goes and nothing happens! The first thing a western, or any good film does, is establish a sense of place. But it's apparent this was done too cheaply for that. They should have saved on some of the gore FX budget and used it to build a set.
If it was a military outpost, why is there a total lack of fortification or discipline? Well, that's because it's not a military outpost...it's a town...with no buildings...policed by a handful of dirtball "military" who look like they sleep in ditches rather than a barracks. Whatever.
The screenplay is weak. Why don't the soldiers accompany Charles to Arthur's hideout? Some gibberish that everyone is afraid to go there (or something). The bush is just the bush - the soldiers apparently go out there to kill rebels and so forth, and end up being out there anyway.
At the heart of it all is the screenwriter's attempt to somehow mystify Arthur, a la "Heart of Darkness", but there is nothing fascinating in his back story. In fact there is no back story.
The whole effort shows the effect of not enough working out. Scenes that should have been cut, like all but one of the riding scenes with Cave mumbling on the soundtrack, or the bathtub scene (which was apparently left in to give Emily Watson something to do), are left in - because apparently *everything* was left in. There was no critical filter of what needed to be cut and what needed to be added, like a little characterization. Or a place. In the end, it seems to be a movie for people who can just be reminded of a genre by certain cinematic cues and be happy with that, without worrying themselves with content.
For me, it was a real disappointment. I had bought it, too.
The Prestige (2006)
Tesla would have laughed - an overrated movie
I approve of the way "The Prestige" engages viewers and makes them concentrate (there are too few such films lately), but it is too belabored for me. Cheats abound; for one, Fallon is never properly introduced as a character, and none of the characters displays any knowledge of the other except what is in the moment. Tesla himself would have laughed as he was aware of the law of conservation of matter and energy. The outcome is just wrong - both magicians should have ended up as the figurative "Man in the Box". It has some excellent moments and I like that it engaged the audience, but with its needlessly time-warped narrative, lack of characterization, and empty flash, it's something of a con.