perlner Reviews

Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)

Beautiful and engaging

[9/10 · 31 January 2007]

There are no good guys in this film. You can root for anyone, and by the end, you still probably won't be satisfied.

On the one hand, this film is pretty ridiculous - a coup staged by an empress against her husband, incest, infidelity, poisoning...it's almost like Shakespeare, only far more entertaining and accessible.

Leading to the entertainment value are the stunning visuals. This is potentially the most gorgeous movie I have ever seen (and I've seen Zhang Yimou's other films). Bright colors, amazing costumes, great staging of formations of large numbers of people in beautiful clothing...it's no wonder the film was nominated for an Oscar in costuming. Oh, and there's fireworks! (Yes, the Chinese had fireworks 1000 years ago...whether they looked like that, I don't know...) The acting is amazing too, especially given the over-the-top qualities of the plot. I really believed and sympathized with these characters.

Moreover, the film kept me engaged the whole time. For not one minute did I get bored or wonder how long it would be until the end. And when it did finally reach the end, I wanted more.

Go see this film. It's a real treat.

Epic Movie (2007)

No redeeming value.

[1/10 · 31 January 2007]

This movie is a bunch of scenes from epic (and some non-epic) recent (and some non-recent) films, redone with no acting talent, no scriptwriting talent, bad visual effects (look, it's the stunt man!) and no budget. It's just about as good as seeing a bunch of drunk people reenacting their favorite scenes at a party. No, on second thought, the above mentioned scenario would be more inspiring and fun.

I was excited about this movie. It wasn't funny. It wasn't inspired. It wasn't even fun to watch. Just go rent all the original movies on DVD and you will be satisfied. Save yourself the pain of seeing this clumsily thrown-together plagiarized nonsense.

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

Not so happy.

[7/10 · 9 December 2006]

This movie's tough to watch. It's well done and it's vaguely realistic (it *is* based on a true story), and it's a pleasure to see Will Smith on screen with his actual son, who's very cute. But it gets pretty hairy in the middle - so depressing that even the expected payoff at the end doesn't seem worth it, somehow. It's not really a tearjerker - just more of a downer.

There are, however, very funny moments, with the typical Will Smith humor.

And yes, the misspelling of the title is deliberate, and addressed in the movie.

Man of the Year (2006)

fun and idealistic

[9/10 · 14 October 2006]

OK, so this movie isn't the best political satire of the year. In fact, there's surprisingly little actual political commentary, due to them using fake candidates instead of real politicians.

But as a story of good people who want to do the right thing, it hits home.

Not only is it funny (how could it not be with Robin Williams headlining, and Lewis Black a prominent supporting cast member?) but it's a compelling romance and thriller. The bad guys are refreshingly non-evil - they only go as far as they have to in order to get what they need, and they're not portrayed as insane either.

Laura Linney, Robin Williams, and the rest of the supporting cast are fantastic. They're believable and sympathetic as characters. Oh, and did I mention very very funny? I say take this as an entertaining movie and watch it with an optimistic heart. Then you will enjoy it. I was in a theater full of like-minded people and they were laughing, jumping, and clapping.

If, however, you are a hardened cynic or if you only want to see a biting political satire with useful information in it, then skip it. That's not what this movie is about.

Superman Returns (2006)

dark, lyrical, and disturbing

[10/10 · 28 June 2006]

This movie is not like any other Superman incarnation. It pays homage to the classics - there are notable winks and nods to the comics, TV series, and original movies - plus genuinely silly moments that remind us of the ridiculousness of the whole thing. However, most of the movie is slow, calculated, and depressed, which isn't to say it isn't satisfying to watch.

It's understandable that Superman would come back in a funk after five years away, visiting his destroyed homeland and realizing he is, in fact, the last son of Krypton. It's fitting that his Clark persona has gotten rusty in the meantime, that he's neither as bumbling nor as charming as he was before he left.

Superman has come back much more alien than before - he barely speaks, and is single-minded and self-sacrificing to a degree unprecedented in the mythology (as far as I know). He's practically given up on the love of Lois Lane, and he's separated himself emotionally from the human race even as he's dedicated himself to saving it (fans of Clark Kent, beware - Clark is totally absent in the last third of the film). And yet, because he is vulnerable and passionate in an understated way, we care for him more than ever. There are moments when he's back to his catch-phrase self, but most of the time, he stares in the face of seemingly impossible-to-overcome obstacles with joyless determination. And we admire him for it.

Kevin Spacey is chilling as Lex Luthor. Kate Bosworth is passable as a less obnoxious and slightly more intelligent version of Margot Kidder's Lois Lane. The special effects in this film are as good as you could ask for, but they're not important. There are lyrical moments of breathtaking beauty, which, if you're not a visual person, can get slow, but if you recognize their significance, can really stick with you long after the film is over.

However, this film really isn't about Lois, Lex, or the action. The point of this installation is to make you think about what it really means to be Superman, and how depressing that really is. And then appreciate that our hero is still willing to be our hero, because we do, in fact, need him, perhaps more than ever.

The Brothers Grimm (2005)

highly entertaining

[7/10 · 29 August 2005]

Are you familiar with the Grimm fairy tales? Did you like the way "Shakespeare in Love" explained how Shakespeare might have gotten his ideas for "Romeo and Juliet?" Did you like "Shrek?" Are you a fan of Matt Damon or Heath Ledger? Do you think Monica Bellucci is hot? If your answer to any of the above questions is "yes," and you are willing to suspend disbelief (because boy is this movie inconsistent if you actually think about it) this film will provide an entertaining diversion. It's funny, interesting, exciting, and even a little scary (so don't bring your little children if they get scared easily).

The premise - Matt Damon and Heath Ledger are the Brothers Grimm, famous around French-occupied Germany for driving away demons, though they are, in fact, con artists with fancy gadgets and conspirators for special effects. They use the money they collect for their "services" to finance their operations. The French occupying government catches them and sentences them to death, unless they out-con the conman who is causing little girls to disappear in a town alongside the woods. In this town and the neighboring woods are the inspirations for numerous Grimm fairy tales, including Hansel & Gretel, Rapunzel, and Little Red Riding Hood.

The characters aren't the most deep of film characters, but they are developed enough to be distinctive and convincing. Will Grimm (Matt Damon) is the brains behind the team, with a very realistic desire to protect his brother, even as he harbors a constant anger at him for blowing the only opportunity to save their little sister's life when they were children. Jake (Heath Ledger) is the dreamer, convinced that there is truth in legend, and that with courage and effort, any problem can be solved. Predictably but not boringly, the two of them provide the perfect team to fight what turns out to be a real-life, magical, evil danger.

The special effects aren't the best; some of the cgi creatures move quite jerkily, but when they're good, they work. The sets are beautiful, and fit the Grimm fairy tale world well. The costumes are likewise gorgeous and apt.

If you think about this film enough to ask questions like, "if evil magic was real, how come the brothers are famous instead of having been discredited the first time they pretended to fight off a real evil presence and it continued to haunt people?" then you will be disappointed. However, if you are willing to suspend disbelief, you'll be in for an entertaining summer popcorn treat.

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)

kind of boring

[3/10 · 28 February 2005]

This movie had its moments, but mostly it was boring and a narrative mess. It was kind of like watching a not-very-good documentary with contrived dramatic elements added. Bill Murray's understated acting may be considered and artistic triumph, but as a viewer, it just wasn't fun to watch. This movie reminded me of The Royal Tenenbaums, but the human elements were even less interesting, if that can possibly be imagined.

I would have liked to see some actual discussion of the aquatic species or biology, but instead we got to watch petty infighting and random tragedies.

If you are a huge Bill Murray fan, see this. Otherwise, skip it.

The Butterfly Effect (2004)

disturbing

[3/10 · 27 September 2004]

OK, first of all I got the DVD and watched the director's cut version, not realizing they had different endings. I returned the DVD before seeing the Hollywood-esque ending, so my comments only apply to the original version.

But it wasn't just the ending which I found disturbing; the person I was watching this movie with actually left the room after the first 20 minutes because it was "too scary." (This person was not a child.)

Unlike other viewers, I thought the acting was actually quite good, and the inconsistencies/unbelievability were on par with most other Hollywood (and non-Hollywood) films. It gets points for making more sense than "Donnie Darko" upon first watching.

But this is a movie that will disturb you, because it depicts all sorts of disturbing situations, imagery, and choices. It's actually quite depressing, if you think too hard about it.

So, I really can't recommend this film because I don't think people would/should enjoy it, unless they've never thought about alternate realities before and are so focused on the "neato!" aspect that they don't realize they're seeing really bad stuff.

Beaches (1988)

Who ever knew Blossom would grow up to be Bette Midler?

[6/10 · 27 September 2004]

I'm a Bette Midler fan, but I wasn't too impressed with her singing in this movie. It was OK, but not as great as I'd remembered. The real treasure was Mayim Bialik, who would later star in "Blossom," and did a terrific Bette impersonation, complete with excellent singing (at least, I think it was her).

The plot was kind of hard to follow in parts, but basically ended up being like a lesbian version of "Love Story," without any actual lesbianism. I thought "Love Story" was cheesy, and so was this. But it did manage to evoke tears at the sad parts, even though I found most of the characters annoying. (Bette was annoying but lovable, the rest were just annoying.)

If this movie had been made today, there probably would have been a lesbian romance, and it would have made a better story. As it is, it's a harmless sideshow, if you're a fan of Bette or Blossom, or if you're just dying to find out the original context of the song "Beneath My Wings." Otherwise, skip it.

De-Lovely (2004)

good music, convoluted plot

[6/10 · 4 August 2004]

This movie was confusing. I never really figured out what was going on. I'm not sure how much was made up and how much was history either.

It was kind of like a musical revue, with snippets of different songs in different settings that were supposed to make up a coherent emotional journey, and only sort of succeeded.

But the acting was well-done, especially Kevin Kline, although his portrayal was similar to a lot of other characters he's played. Ashley Judd was totally believable, and the guest singers didn't seem out of place either. (I thought the cameos would be distracting, but everyone sang really well, and not obviously anachronistically.)

The only really good thing about this movie is the music. Cole Porter was truly inspired. The next best thing about the movie is the emotions portrayed, which although they don't really fit into a sensical plot of sorts, certainly helped to enhance the enjoyment of the music. The sets were also quite beautiful to look at, and again provided an apt setting for the main attraction of this movie - the songs.

However, if I ever get the urge to see a movie highlighting Cole Porter's compositions again, I'll take Kiss Me Kate, Night and Day, or any of the other classics over De-Lovely.

Saved! (2004)

entertaining and enlightening film with no flaws

[10/10 · 19 July 2004]

I can't complain about any part of this movie. It was hilarious (I was laughing the whole way through), touching (parts almost made me cry), and believable enough to be engrossing but ridiculous enough to let us know it was exaggerated for the sake of satire.

On the surface this is just another teen comedy which happens to take place at a school where the dominant societal force is Jesus. But underneath, it really is a touching tale of a girl who struggles with her faith, and tries to find her own relationship with God even after departing from the strict regimens of her school's teachings. It is also a cautionary tale about the dangers of blind faith. If we truly believe that God wants us to do something, we can do horrible things, like the hijackers on 9/11 who believed they were doing Allah's will (holy war), and there is no logic or reason that can compete with faith in Divine Will.

Without portraying anything as devastating as terrorism or even suggesting that religion is wrong and God doesn't exist, this movie, in a charming and entertaining way, tells us to find our own spiritual guidance and hints that we shouldn't always try to assume that we know what God wants, or that it's the same for everyone.

"Why would God make us all so different, if he wants us to be the same?" the main character asks.

Great movie. I highly recommend it.

Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)

I hate Bush, but 1st 1/2 of this movie almost convinced me otherwise!

[7/10 · 27 June 2004]

There is one major flaw in this movie, which was mostly in the first half. It really is only one-sided. When he asks questions and answers them, there is an obvious alternative explanation that he is leaving out. It was so much a caricature that it reminded me of when they make fun of the Republicans on the Simpsons by portraying them as stating ridiculous things about Democrats. When Moore tells us how much time Bush is spending on vacation, and Bush mentions that business is being done over the phone, I believe the latter. When he shows all the reports that say Gore should have won the 2000 election, I remember all the reports that said Bush would have won, even if all the votes were counted. When he offered up explanations of the Bush ties with the Bin Ladens and Saudi oil money, I knew enough real numbers to know that was a half-truth at best. These and other sloppy edits made me feel propagandized and almost made me want to vote Bush back into office. Almost.

However...the second half of the movie provided a lot more interesting and (at least not so obviously un-) truthful information. The analysis of the role the poor play in our military endeavors, and the comparison with the Orwellian 1984 society, was brilliant. The interviews with soldiers and their families who used to support Bush and don't anymore was enlightening. And the subversive war footage was, if somewhat gratuitous, pretty persuasive.

There were still parts that made me cringe, but there were a lot more parts that made me laugh. And overall, the film was quite entertaining, and it was good to revisit some of history that we may have forgotten about. And I think Ashcroft is a terrific singer.

I recommend this movie for its entertainment value but I warn that it's not going to convince you not to vote for Bush if you think about the other half of the story that Moore isn't telling. Moore - next time follow through on the other side of the argument and I might be convinced. Luckily I'm from Massachusetts, so my vote doesn't count. :)

Two Brothers (2004)

NOT FOR CHILDREN!

[2/10 · 24 June 2004]

Do NOT take your children to see this film. It is offensive and disturbing. There were many children in the theater when I saw it and some of them were screaming, and the rest were getting a very wrong idea of what is ok and not ok to do to wild animals. This movie was *painful to watch* if you believe in humane treatment of animals, and if you don't, then it's just boring.

Don't see this film. And don't take your children to see it either, if you want them to learn right from wrong. Yes, the tigers are cute. They should never have been trained and filmed in this way!

The existence of this film is a disgrace to our species.

The United States of Leland (2003)

thought provoking

[9/10 · 28 March 2004]

This is a movie that will make you think. What exactly is right and wrong, is humanity good or bad, what is the purpose of God and/or The Devil (as concepts) in our society?

The acting is perfect, the story is intriguing, and the execution is quite skillful. The only tiny issues I had were that some of the characters were a bit of an exaggeration, a few circumstances were contrived, and the whole movie was decidedly low-budget (though it looked well enough as opposed to other low-budget movies such as "Tadpole" and "Roger Dodger.")

Overall, intriguing and entertaining to watch, and not nearly as depressing as you might think from reading the synopsis.

Latter Days (2003)

a great chick flick

[9/10 · 24 March 2004]

Don't be fooled, guys, this movie isn't for you just because the main characters are men.

It's a romance, and it's funny and sad (I cried!) and uplifting and all those things movies are supposed to do to you but don't usually anymore.

And yeah, it's totally manipulative, and predictable, and the acting (aside from the two leads who are amazing) gets a little tacky, and the dialogue is pretty cheesy. But it works! And it's about something that might make you walk home with a thought in your head, because it's an important, relevant, and completely debatable topic.

This is the first movie in a long time that I really recommend. And the most romantic romance I've seen in years. Go see it.

The Black Hole (1979)

hopelessly outdated and boring

[2/10 · 31 January 2004]

In the first 10 minutes of this futuristic film, the characters encounter a black hole - and mention that black holes will someday eat the whole universe.

Apparently they forgot about Hawking Radiation. Well, of course they did...because in 1979 when this movie was written, Hawking hadn't thought of it yet. So, although it is cringe-worthy, that is excusable.

But then, they proceed through worse-than-original-Trek acting, decently-pretty-but-nonsensical special effects and set pieces, and a premise that just Makes No Sense.

To make it worse, there's almost no plot, no romance story, and the characters are pretty much all undistinguishable, except for two cute robots who have more personality each than all the human characters combined.

Terrible. And yes, it's old, but not as old as Star Wars, and not nearly as old as Forbidden Planet, which, although it was fake-looking, at least touched upon some interesting issues and had an intriguing plot. Disney could have done better.

Some old movies are classics that withstand time. This movie is barely good enough for an MST3K treatment.

The Company (2003)

beautiful dancing but not much else

[5/10 · 14 January 2004]

This movie was practically a documentary about life behind the scenes of a ballet company, except that it wasn't very successful in telling an interesting story at that either.

There weren't really well-developed characters or a plot, this movie is mostly lots of ballet with a few very random rehearsal and outside life scenes thrown in in between. It was interesting when they showed a rehearsal and then cut to the performance of what they were rehearsing, but even then they didn't show enough coherent rehearsal time to provide much insight into the performance.

The ballet scenes, however, are fantastic and if you enjoy watching ballet, this movie is rarely boring. However, it really doesn't succeed as a movie because the rest of the filler is superfluous and uninteresting.

Peter Pan (2003)

magical

[10/10 · 25 December 2003]

I had been anticipating this movie for a long time and so was setting myself up to be let down - however, it was as magical as I expected, perhaps even more so. I'd been wondering what the critics were talking about when they said it was "grown up" and "rife with sex" - parents should not worry; it deserves its PG. Yes, there are some latent feelings but that is what childhood is about - this movie is truly a classic for the ages.

Production values great. Acting great (especially Ludivine Sagnier as Tinkerbell). Story great.

If I could find one flaw it would be that this movie wasn't long enough - the adventures were there but unlike Pirates of the Caribbean, which overstayed its welcome by about an hour, this one flitted from one to the next and by the end I was left wanting more. Perhaps there'll be more in the DVD, but meanwhile it is certainly worth seeing on the big screen!

Thumbs up.

Shattered Glass (2003)

well-acted, suspenseful, and sometimes painful

[7/10 · 29 October 2003]

This was quite an accurate portrayal of what it was like, both for the fraudulent reporter who serves as the protagonist (antagonist? it is not clear whether we are to root for him or not) and those who worked with him. Hayden Christenson has clearly been typecast since playing spoiled teenage Anakin Skywalker, but he plays this overconfident, popular kid with a brooding conscience quite well. The supporting cast is fantastic as well - and does a good job of portraying the characters as real people, not simple bad guys versus good guys.

The suspense was tangible - we could definitely feel the difficult emotions these people were going through, and had to cringe every time another lie was piled atop other lies to cover up the horrible truth. As a result, there were times when this movie was very uncomfortable to watch.

This is definitely a fantastic movie, for what it is, but ultimately it is just a story about bad journalism, and if you're not interested, it doesn't do much to hook you. If the subject intrigues you at all, go see it, but if it doesn't, stay away. This movie isn't for everyone.

8 Women (2002)

delightful!

[9/10 · 17 October 2003]

This is the only French film I've actually liked, and I loved it! It's hilarious and lots of fun to watch. It even makes a little bit of sense, not that that matters. The characters are a riot.

Oh, and it's sexy. Very, very sexy. 8 sexy women and don't think they don't know it!

And the actresses are terrific in these roles. Isabelle Huppert was so great she almost made me forget about her performance in The Piano Teacher (ick!) Ludivigne Sagnier was 10x better than in Water Drops on Burning Rocks. And Catherine Deneuve is 10x better than what you'd expect she'd be at her age having seen The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.

The music is incongruous and only a few songs are memorable, but I got the feeling it was supposed to be that way. If they had been more serious or better music, they would have detracted from the comedy.

See this movie! You won't regret it.

A Mighty Wind (2003)

hilarious!

[10/10 · 7 September 2003]

This movie was one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time. And heartwarming, and intelligent.

With a bonus of wonderful music, apparently written by the cast! I hope these songs are remembered come Academy Award time! 10/10

Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator (2002)

boring

[3/10 · 5 September 2003]

I guess maybe I'd have been interested in this film if I knew anything about skateboarding or the history it documents.

However, I didn't, and I was bored. This movie did nothing to encourage my interest; I didn't care about the characters or anything that was happening. Furthermore, the stunts weren't even at all impressive (except a few shots of modern trick skateboarders at the very end, and even that was just impressive by comparison).

Don't go see this film unless you know you're already interested. At least it's short.

Camp (2003)

If you've ever met a Broadway Baby...

[8/10 · 10 August 2003]

Kids like this really exist. I know, I've met some of them. And what better to do with them than make a really, really funny movie with lots of singing, dancing, and acting?

Well, sort-of acting. They are, after all, only kids. And it's one of the hardest things in the world to play an actor.

While I didn't quite believe all of it, and there were some scenes I could do without (is there such a thing these days as a movie without vomit?) it was, on the whole, riotously funny with some intelligent and touching moments, and it had some great music too.

If you've ever met a Broadway Baby, you'll particularly enjoy this film.

One more thing: oh my god, it's Steven Sondheim!!!

Step Into Liquid (2003)

Enh

[3/10 · 31 July 2003]

This was a standard documentary about surfing. By standard I mean the format - interviews interspersed with footage of surfing and voiceover discussion of the sport. This film is only vaguely interesting if you are not a surfer or a surfer fan. It's not badly put together; it's slick and has some nice shots of surfers and the waves, though nothing that had to be seen on the big screen. There are attempts at some points to connect other parts of life to surfing, but those are largely unmemorable. This is not a movie to pay $10 to see in a theater, unless you are "stoked."

Seabiscuit (2003)

Shows that formula pictures can work.

[9/10 · 26 July 2003]

I'm not exactly sure how they did it, since I don't usually get so into sports movies, but I really cared about all of the characters, rooted for them, felt awful when they lost, and felt as if it was my victory when they won. If this is not great filmmaking, I don't know what is.

The only flaw of this movie is its length; it might have done better with a bit of editing, since some parts were slow, and didn't necessarily add much to the story or even make a whole lot of sense. Still, they were part of the movie, and may have been necessary to allow the best parts to make the maximum emotional impact (it's hard to tell, but it is the reason I gave it 9/10 instead of 10/10).

In any case, this is the best movie I've seen all year (and I've seen Whale Rider). Go see this movie! It makes me sad that the theaters have so few showtimes. Don't waste your time and money on drivel like Lara Croft 2 or Spy Kids 3D. See a real movie like this one instead.

Yes, it is a formula picture. David vs. Goliath and you know who wins. But it doesn't matter...this time it really works.