Chris' Choice: For People with Leisure

Review: Fly Boys

2007-03-21T14:01:00.001-07:00

I'm a big fan of WW1 flying films. This was a fun movie, but problematic. The movie is about the story of the French flying squadron that was filled with American volunteers fighting during the First World War before the US joined the fight. The squadron was real and called "L'Escadrille Lafayette".

The movie is fun in that it is a classic war movie with all of the formulas that one comes to expect. We found ourselves guessing who was going to die first and the next plot twist. The characters were one-dimensional and, obviously the plot was not so good.

I enjoyed the movie none the less, but it was a fan-boy kind of thing. There are much better WW1 movies out there that have aged well. I would recommend The Blue Max. Unlike Fly Boys, the movie was filmed entirely using old aircraft and the pictures are thrilling. The use of CGI in Fly Boys was distracting and from a fan boy perspective was a let-down.

On the Chris' Choice Rating Scale Fly Boys gets one star

*

Review: Marie Antoinette

2007-03-11T13:36:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I last posted a review to this site, but it has also been a long time since I last saw a movie. So, here is one of two movies that we were able to squeeze in on a Saturday night.

Marie Antoinette follows the life of the Austrian Princess from the time that she is betrothed to the Dauphin to the time that she flees Versailles in the midst of the French treason of 1789. Putatively this is a period piece. There are plenty of lavish scenes of the royal court and lives the courtesans. Some of the most interesting points in the movie involve the elaborate ritual of the court as seen from the perspective of the relative outsider.

There were three things that I found objectionable about this movie. The first was the infusions of contemporary music into the score. It was distracting to hear an electic guitar and punk music being played over scenes set in 18th century Versailles. Related to that was the use of montage in order to speed through the passage of time. Such a device is often one of the last resource of a screen writer trying to salvage a poor script. Finally was the constant attention paid to the issue of the consummation of the marriage of Marie and Louis. This did not have to be the subject of the first half of the film. Though an important part of the film it takes too much attention away from other issues that play a larger role in the downfall of the rightful kings of France in the inevitable treason at the end (I am not spoiling anything here because it is a matter of historical fact. If me revealing the fact that Marie was involved in the French Revolution is news to you, then I do not want you reading this blog anyway, feel free to spend your time reading a history book). There is no doubt that the foibles of the Royal couple had something to do with the revolution, and that revolution looms over the entire film. It is an inevitable fact and the movie does not adequately deal with that fact.

It must be difficult to write a film about a story where everyone knows the ending, but that cannot be helped. The writer and director must come up with a strategy for dealing with this fact. This film did not do that, and that is a significant failing. Despite some of the better aspects of it.

On the Chris Choice Rating Scale Marie Antoinette gets one star
*

2000 Storikengold, Dietrich Joss

2006-10-02T22:21:00.000-07:00

I'm enjoying a superb glass of vintage Dietrich Joss Storikengold. It is a fine blend of white hybrid grapes and is one of my last bottles from this excellent Quebec winery. I strongly urge people to give this winery a chance. I've been drinking their product for years, and will be going back this Christmas to stock up again. Give Quebec a chance! Yum!

The Rating Scale

2006-08-20T22:54:00.001-07:00

Developed in Conjunction with Mr J.J.E. Imber, Esq

This was lost after some house cleaning on my other site. So, I've reposted it.

Ratings on this website will attempt to follow a rational and meaningful system of evaluation and quantification. There will be two systems. One system will follow a number-name system between -3 and +3 with no fractions and only a theoretical zero. The second system will be identical in substance, but since everyone on earth rates movies using stars we will condescend to a star based system. from 0 to 5 stars using only whole stars. The meanings and terminology of the system are outlined below:

Number- Name	Stars (movie)	Descriptor	Meaning	Success
+3	5	Very superior, fantastic	A Z-score of greater than +2 or 2.275 % of all things of this nature. (98th and 99th percentile)	STRONGLY SURPASSED Revolutionary qualities and others better start taking notice.
+2	4	Quality, very good, excellent,	A Z-score of between +1and +2 or 13.590 % of all things of this nature. (between 84th and 97th percentile)	SURPASSED Has surpassed expectations with unique and innovative qualities
+1	3	Legit, good, alright	A Z-score of between 0 and +1 or 34.135% of all things of this nature. (between 50th and 83rd percentile)	STRONG PASS Has met expectations with general satisfaction
0	"2 1/2"	The theoretical average	This is the theoretical average point. A grade of zero will not be given. Iit has no real existential value. Have you ever had the average wine?
-1	2	Not impressive, has problems	A Z-score of between 0 and -1 or 34.135 % of all things of this nature. (between 16th and 49th percentile)	WEAK PASS Did not meet all expectations, but has certain redeeming qualities
-2	1	Junk, bad, not good	A Z-score of between -1and -2 or 13.590 % of all things of this nature. (between 2nd and 15th percentile)	MARGINAL FAIL with no redeeming qualites (wine would be rejected)
-3	0	*@#^&#	A Z-score of less than -2 or 2.275 % of all things of this nature. (0th and 1st percentile)	SEVERE FAIL Has qualities, but they are bad. This was a step in the wrong direction

The Z-score is a statistical tool. If you decided to sleep through your statistics course or have simply forgotten what it all means please check this website for a brief refresher:

http://www.sysurvey.com/tips/statistics/zscore.htm

Review: Domino

2006-08-18T11:52:00.000-07:00

The movie Domino is a movie about a member of the Beverly Hills 90210 establishment who rebels against her mother and becomes a Bounty Hunter. The movie attempts to build a character development story along with the action movie strory. The former is not very convincing and/or interesting; the latter is pretty standard. What saves the movie and brings it slightly above average is the style of the presentation and some pretty cool casting - if it has Christopher Walken chances are it will be cool.

The action story line is told by Domino the bounty hunter in a police interrogation room. Of Course, this has been done, but Lucy Liu is the interogator and there is a good raport between the two. The main action story line develops over an inside job gone wrong, again, it has been done. What makes the movie kinda edgy is the female bounty hunter trying to prover herself. Plus the filming is done in a gritty kind of colour that lends a Bobba-Fet meets American Western in modern LA feel to the movie. I don't like making those kind of analogies any more than most people like reading them. Nonetheless I think the comparison is apt, so tough.

What does this all add up to? A solid action movie.

On the official Chris' Choice scale Domino gets three stars.

***

Some Recent Reviews

2005-09-25T11:31:00.000-07:00

Kim
An old movie based on the Kipling book. It was lots of fun and worth seeing. You just can't make movies like this anymore. ***

Primer
An intteresting movie that has garnered a lot of attention recently. I'm not sure it is all that is cracked up to be. Yes, it is cool that it was made for so little money. Unfortunately the narrative is very difficult to follow after a while and the movie gets a little tiresome. I don't really care how much money the movie was made for so: **

Saw
Another interesting movie with a cool premise. Too bad it falls into that category of american film making that just wants to shock and surprise with gore and twist endings. Yawn... *

Movie Review: The Constant Gardener

2005-09-25T09:51:00.000-07:00

The Constant Gardener
Just out this weekend, this is a movie based on a LeCarre book. The first layer of the story involves investigations into pharmaceuticals, testing, aids and poor Africa. But, there are several other layers - notably a beautiful love story. The acting is first class, the photography stunning and the direction great. Go see this movie ****

A Great Ebert Review

2005-08-19T11:43:00.000-07:00

You have to check out this review by Roger Ebert! Though I haven't seen the Deuce Bigalow 2 movie, from Ebert's comments it would seem that the only good thing to come from this movie is his review. I can only fantasise that one day I could write such a witty and yet still useful review.

Quick Reviews: Big Fish & Leboweski, Passion of the Christ

2005-04-02T11:47:00.000-08:00

Big Fish:
This was a nice looking film that was all style and little substance. It had the advantage of containing an interesting story and some very likeable characters. The movie is about an oldman with many stories dying and a son who isstruggling to understand the fantastic stories. The stories are very fantastic and we struggle to figure out, with the son, what it all means. Unfortunately the stories are fullof sound and fury, the brief candle is extinguished and we are left with a tale told by an idiot. Idon't think I've spoiled anything. The movie should be better knowing that one need not expend neural energies trying to find underlying meaning.

** Two Stars

The Big Lebowski:
A fun movie with some great characters. The movie is full of great moments and great lines. It is entertaining and is almost a cult classic, but in the end it lacks the qualities that makes a movie great.

*** Three Stars

The Passion of the Christ:
This movie was full of formula and second rate tricks. Slow moton shots, lingering shots, a cheesy score and symbolism with a sledgehammer. This doesn't diminish the importance of the movie or the power of the message. The movie is just a substandard piece of cinema telling an important story.

** Two Stars

Review: Sin City

2005-04-02T11:45:00.000-08:00

What can I say, this was a bad movie. The only thing worse than living in Sin City would be to live in a city that enjoyed Sin City.

The movie has no coherent narrative structure. The movie is organised around three stories that are VERY loosely related - they all passed through one bar. The characters are all bad, they differ only by degree.

The great thing about comics is that they develop very intricate characters with rich back stories. Of course comic series develop over years. Part of the challenge of puting comics on screen is to develop those characters in an hour or two. Sin City has three stories and three sets of charactres. It can't develop any of those characters except as caricatures. Consequently, the movie is a caricature. Cliches and rediculous lines get tossed about as easilly as the bullets and the whole thing is over the top.

Then, there is the violence. It takes a lot to get me to baulk at the violence. The violence was just extreme for the sake of extreme violence. There was nothing symbolic or purposeful in the violence except that it was demanded by the fact that these guys are all bad. All the violence got tiresome.

Of course there is the style. The style is not as original or great as people seem to think. Schindler's List effectively used well placed colour in a B&W film. But, as a comic based movie it does look and feel like a comic book. Comic books, however, are more than just entities that exist preserve a style their characters and stories are what sustain them - not style. Thus a movie like this that is all style and no substance is very much defective.

On the official Chris' Choice scale Sin City gets one star.
*

Review: Hostage

2005-03-16T11:49:00.000-08:00

Quickly - We were out last night to see Hostage starring Bruce Willis. This is a competent action flick with an experienced action star. The background story was smart and, to my knowledge, unique. Visually, the movie seemed to do everything it needed to and had a fairly interesting opening sequence. The major problem with the movie was with the logic and the sequence of the movie's action.

In the end, the movie was a good watch but on the walk home the holes began to appear.

On the official Chris' Choice scale Hostage gets three stars.

***

Movie Review: The Phantom

2005-03-09T22:32:00.000-08:00

The Phantom:
This is an older film that we rented. It is based on an old 30s superhero and is one of the better comic book action adventure films. The 30s superheroes have a sort of innocence that makes them endearing and fun to watch. You can get lost in the innocence of their crusade to fight evil, and in this case piracy as well. The film matches the innocence of the characters with a visual pallette that is vivid and simple. The purples, reds and browns help to create a story that is easy to sink into and enjoy as a pleasurable and entertaining adventure. This movie does what it does very well.
**** Four Stars!

Some Quick Reviews

2005-03-09T22:29:00.000-08:00

Bride and Prejudice:
This is a pretty good adaptation of the Jane Austen Classic. It is set in contemporary India, Los Angelas and London. The characters in the film are great and lots of fun - they also correspond the traits of the original quite well. The plot, too, follows the original well, and so, there is little to fault to find there. The setting is adequately adapted, but the film is too short to fully develop the parallels and we are left relying on the original to fill things in. Then there is the singing and dancing.... well it can be amusing and often it is annoying.
*** Three Stars

Constantine:
Here we have another comic/superhero movie. It is a stark contrast to The Phantom. The scene is dark and gothic the characters are deeply flawed. The story is interesting, though not too engaging. The story is driven by characters we don't ever get to know. That means that the supervillain isn't very active there is nobalance to the hero. That hero, Keanu Reeves doesn't put up the greatest performance - nor do any other actors. It's a decent attempt and is entertaining. You'd be surprised - it isn't a total waste of money.
** Two Stars

Movie Review: Million Dollar Baby

2005-02-15T22:35:00.000-08:00

Here we have a decent movie that has been given a lot of attention because of the paucity of good films to come out this past year. I enjoyed this film, that is, I enjoyed it as much as one can enjoy a film of this nature. The problem is that Million Dollar Baby has been thrust into the company of films beyond its merit.

The film starts off well. In fact, it was the beginning of this movie that made the greatest impression on me. We meet some great characters - all of the important ones - in a boxing club run by Clint Eastwood. The dynamic that develops between the regulars at the club was far more interesting, better acted, and generally done with greater skill and effect than anything in the third and final act. One enjoys the relationships as these characters learn to get along, deal with the past and build a future. The lessons learned and the themes are developped with a modicum of subtlety and a great deal of sympathy is built.

The second act train starts to gather speed, but stays on track. If the first act was a character drama, the second is a boxing fantasy. The backstories begin heading toward resolution and we are curious to know if anyone learns anything.

Of course, my problem is always with the endings of movies. The ending has all of the subtlety and art of a trainwreck. First, everything in the final act is alluded to in the second act, because the third act is so extreme that if these allusions hadn't been made the whole act would have been considered 'unrealistic'.

A lot of attention has been drawn to the relationship between Clint's character and the priest character. Many people believe that film is trying to make a statement. I think the film is really just trying to setup a basis for discussion. That is, the film wants the discussion that takes place between Clint and the priest to continue after people leave the theatre. In that respect, it has been successful. However, the ending belittles the potential of the first and, to a lesser extent, the second act. The third act has all of the subtlety of one of those moral-philosophical thought experiments where everything is setup, then put in motion and one decision is required with great, but innevitable, consequence. Such experiments are designed to eliminate variables and to focus ones thought on the essential question that requires an answer. And so, in the end, we are tricked by a movie that appears multifaceted that is, though interesting, a well constructed one-dimensional conversation piece.

The conflict between the beginning and the end of this movie, obviously, left me feeling as though it had failed to live up to its dramatic beginnings. Maybe the attention that it has been getting is simply a refelction of its success at generating discussion - what I think its goal was. Clearly in one respect it is a good movie, but in the aspect that I have tried to articulate I feel it has a big problem and it is the kind of problem that 5 star movies ought tobe able to sort out.

On the official Chris' Choice scale Million Dollar Baby gets three stars.

***

Zip.Ca

2005-02-08T22:37:00.000-08:00

So we've been getting the movies delivered to the shacks here in Halifax. That is, we've been using an internet movie rental site to order DVDs. So far things are going well. We are pleased with the DVD service. There wasan incident where one DVD did not arrive. We knew it had likely shipped with three others in the same package, if at all. Since the DVD in question didn't arrive with the others we sent an e-mailand got no response. The site doesn't seem to respond too wel l to e-mails, though when the DVD was sufficiently overdue the website allowed a proforma complaint to be filled and that was deal with rapidly.

Stay tuned as we get more experience with the service and have more to report.

Movie Review: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

2005-02-08T22:36:00.000-08:00

This movie is notas bad as everyone says, though it certainly isn't a good movie.

Good: Big-name actors, neat out-of-time technology.

Bad: The big-name-acting, some of the situations get too fantastic for the fantasy setting and become 'unrealstic'.

On the official Chris' Choice scale The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen gets Two stars.

Contemplating the East Coast

2005-02-07T22:39:00.000-08:00

Now that I've been out here on the East Coast of Canada for some time - this is my second time in Halifax, I feel as though it is time to shed some light on a misconception.

Atlantic Salmon:
Well, it pales in comparison to some of the larger pacific varieties. I've been trying to experience as much Atlantic Salmon dishes as I possible can. Simply, I want to be able to judge as openly and fairly as I can the local 'delicacy'. Of course the manner in which a dish is prepared willhave a tremendous effect on the quality and the taste of any dish. As it turns out the methods of preparation on the east and west coast do not vary as much as one might have expected. I've also sampled extensively, so I feel confident in my belief that I am not judging the lesser fish on a poor preparation.

The fact is simply this, Atlantic Salmon has a lighter colour and a weaker taste. Compared to that rich flavour that one expects from, say, a Coho or Sockeye Atlantic Salmon is bland.

Coming Soon: Haddock & Cod vs Halibut

Movie Review: Terminator 3

2003-07-22T12:07:00.000-07:00

The only thing remarkable about this movie is that it is the shape Arnold is in after all of these years!

The intriguing ideas and three (or four?) dimensional characters the first two movies are gone and all that is left is a long chase scene. Arnold can keep up - cool.

I don't know why a third movie was necessary. I was happy with T2.

Anyway, what is there to say? Machines (one good and one bad) go back in time to solve problems of the future... they chase some people... destruction... slight surprise at the end. For a chase movie T3 is pretty good. There are some cool scenes that I don't think have been done before and the budget was high - cool.

The movie is cool, but unremarkable. I am wasting time that could be spent elsewhere.

On the official Chris' Choice scale Terminator 3 gets two stars.

Movie Review: The Matrix Reloaded

2003-07-22T12:05:00.000-07:00

Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

William Shakespeare, Macbeth, act 5, scene 5

Keep poor old Macbeth in mind when you watch this movie and you will have a grand time. The Matrix Reloaded is a fabrication about a fabrication about a ...

I liked this movie - maybe because I have a tendency to be soft on the middle movie of trilogies. Much has to be revealed and set-up for the third movie. There are long speeches by the Morpheus, new characters, and hints of things to come. I don't see this stuff as boring or some kind of teasing but as potential for a really good third movie.

The movie plays with what we understand reality to be. In the first installment we were confident that we could tell one from the other. The sequel puts that all in question. We see speeches by Morpheus that seem so deep that they signify nothing; the unstoppable determinism that rules Neo's life makes us wonder if he is on a stage; we even meet the idiot. My question is: whose story is he telling? and how far does the stage extend? All of these questions, and more, get posed or at least alluded to in this movie. The possibilities are intiguing. I was not expecting to leave satisfied, I was expecting to leave excited to see the third. I was happy - surprised even - to leave with my knowledge of the first film so unravelled that I had to watch it again.

A movie like this is a refreshing change from a lot of the crap that gets spewed out these days. On one level it thrills you with all the FX it uses and the cool fight scenes. The thing I like is that it excites you intellectually you are forced to spend time trying to figure out just what idea is the key that will bring reality into focus. The "philosophy" and "depth" is sound and fury - in the end signifying nothing - regardless of what a bunch of geeks think. The search for the key, or the coffee house theories about what will make the whole story make sense provides the fun.

On the official Chris' Choice scale The Matrix Reloaded gets three stars.

***

Movie Review: The Score

2003-04-05T12:09:00.000-08:00

This is a solid movie! There are several genres of movies out there. The Score is a 'heist' movie. It's about robbers stealing things. I said that I thought Saving Private Ryan was the epitome of the 'American War Movie' The Score is a very solid representative of the the heist genre. Simply, I am not as familiar with heist films as I am with war movies and The Score isn't as perfect as Ryan.

Let me talk generally. There is little need to go into specifics about this movie, it is easy to understand and so I needn't explain plot. First, unlike movies like Heat and other heist films this one is all about characters and plot and is consequently more expressive and intriguing. I think there are about three, maybe four gunshots fired and nobody is murdered. As the plot develops you can see the two main characters DeNiro and Norton develop and the contrast of their characters demonstrates why this is such a compelling genre. DeNiro is the old veteran and is trying to find that one piece, that will satiate him and put his life in order so that he can retire. There is a genuine yearning for normalcy in DeNiro's character. Norton is the new guy who wants honour and demands respect, though he is unwilling to earn it. The two characters are working together on this heist of great complexity and cooperation is tolerated. The genre, and this movie are not about the heist, but about life and the place of material possession in this material world. Norton wants something so that he can be respected, DeNiro wants something so that his life will be more complete. The movie works very well on this level and need not rely on explosions and unbelievable Mission Impossible style whizbang gimmicks to keep us interested.

The allegory of the tale is simple, and compelling. The story is well told, complex and complete. There are no plotholes. Every character is interesting (except DeNiro's girlfriend who is one dimensional). The actors are superior and the photography is well done. This movie is well worth seeing

On the official Chris' Choice scale The Score gets four stars.

****

Scotch: Bowmore 12 Year Old Single Malt

2002-06-25T22:56:00.000-07:00

Ah, Bowmore! This is a tough Scotch! But, then, what do you expect from an Islay malt? These guys have their character, don't they, and its a character that needs to be properly appreciated. An Islay might threaten someone venturing in to the world of single malt Scotch for the first time. For the beginner, guidance is required or perhaps a Highland malt. The Islay Scotches must be handled by the experienced, and since I count myself as one of the experienced, perhaps not an expert, I will allow myself to carry on and have a dram.

As your nose approaches this one, it is greeted by a sweet, but sharp, scent. Don't linger on the scent too long - it's powerful. Go for the goods and take a drink, or try breathing in the scent slowly through your mouth. This will give you an entirely different appreciation for the aromas and they are less harsh more reflective of the Scotch's taste. Once you get the stuff in your mouth you are drinking dirt! This is a purely earth taste - everything in this Scotch comes from the peat bog that Islay is famous for. Strong hints of smoke, earth, oil and peat dominate. If you are careful, you can discern that sweetness that was there at the beginning, though it is a grassy sweetness. It goes down nicely with a smoky aftertaste. The problem with this one is that it is an Islay, and to be frank, like all Islays only the earth/peat tastes can be discerned. Perhaps to a true Islay connoisseur one might be able to discern various different peat and earth flavors, but then, who wants to be able to distinguish different flavors of earth? Peat is nice in moderation and an Islay is an important part of any collection of fine Scotch, but, as Aristotle says: seek moderation. Excess in anything is a vice and a distraction.

Stats:
Name:Bowmore
Region: Islay
Age: 12
Alcohol: 43%
Website:

Rating:
On the official Chris' Choice rating scale, Bowmore rates a:
+1

Scotch: Laphroaig 10 yr Old Single Malt

2002-06-25T22:55:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm going through my Islay malts. No tour of that island could be complete without a Laphroaig! This is one of the most famous single malts out there. Now, I have a bit of a warning for you over zealous Scotch drinkers out there, and I think my good friend Mr Timothy J. Button will concur with this statement. You see the tube that the Whisky comes in says that it is "A touch aloof, at first. But make the effort, broach acquaintance and you'll have a warm and genuine friend for life." One night my friend and I tried to make the effort with a stubborn cask-strength Laphroaig. You see, these whiskies are sensitive and old fashioned - they like to take it easy. No one night stands! Also, these whiskies are deceptive. You start getting to know them and the more you get to know them the more you think they are your friend, but if it was just a one night stand the whisky will punish you in the morning, and they don't pull their punches. The moral of the story here is take it easy. Single malts are long term friends. Try to make it last! Now that I am up to drinking Laphroaig again, here's what I think:

This Scotch is a nice golden colour, not too dark. The nose is subdued and mellow. It must be like the sea that surrounds the island. You can catch a a glimpse of the salt air and perhaps a bit of seaweed, but not too much of the later. Like the sea air there is a bit of sweetness in the aroma. Now the Scotch itself is a rough oily texture. On the palate, obviously there is a tonne of peat and smoke - it's what Laphroaig is famous for. In that peat fire you can still taste the nutty barley. It finishes smoothly enough and lingers leaving your mouth feeling smoky.

Remember this is an Islay, it takes a bit of getting used to. It's hardy and tough, but it lacks complexity and is not as smooth as you would expect. I understand the older versions improve on these two points.

Stats:
Name:Laphroaig
Region: Islay
Age: 10
Alcohol: 40%
Website: http://www.laphroaig.com/

Rating:
On the official Chris' Choice rating scale, Laphroaig rates a:
+1

Movie Review: Minority Report

2002-06-25T12:14:00.000-07:00

Only the Minority got it!

What can I say, when you start playing with time and possible futures you have to have a bullet proof plot, otherwise things get messy. Throw in a conspiracy and people's heads start to burst.

The movie is about a future world where crime is prevented before it happens. John Anderton (Tom Cruise) is in charge of the pre-crime unit in future Washington DC. He believes the system that uses three psychic kids is flawless and he goes about his business like a true believer until one day he is accused of a future crime and his confidence in the system is shattered. A chase ensues and Anderton tries to prove his innocence.

This is an effective futuristic action movie. If that's all the movie tried to be it would do quite well, but it tries to be so much more. It tries to wrestle with questions about free will, identity and existence. In this light, the complex action/chase movie becomes an overwhelming burden. The action and the plot move so fast and develop into such a tangled web that when it is time to leave we aren't thinking about the big questions but the simple, what the hell just happened questions.

It's too bad. Given how close the future world is too reality it would be good to engage people in dialogue on the questions this movie tries to raise and I think Spielberg is trying to do that. However, he knows that the only way to get the attention of the mindless masses is through an action flick. In pandering to the crowd his message gets lost.

There is one other aspect that must be mentioned. The incredible pictures and imaginative setting. That is, the world Spielberg creates with his camera is is absolutely astonishing. He knows how to work a camera! It is worth seeing just for this.

Now, simply, I expected it to be able to deal with the big questions. Though my expectations were high, they were not met. When that happens the scale demands that it get no more than two stars.

On the official Chris' Choice scale Minority Report gets two stars.

Some Quick Reviews

2002-06-25T12:11:00.000-07:00

The Bourne Identity: What can I say, I agree entirely with Roger Ebert on this one. However I must convert scales here, so I give it: ****
Harry Potter: The books better be good, because the movie must be hanging on to the coat tails of something. The story is lame and canned, the characters are entirely one dimensional and the CGI hits you over the head. Frankly, if this is supposed to the new kids story replacing things like C.S. Lewis' Narnia adventures then kids these days are getting gipped. Harry Potter, you suck. *
No Man's Land: This is a Yugoslavian war movie. It is in Serbo-Croatian with English subtitles. It is probably one of the most original war movies out there. It includes, UN bashing, war bashing, nationalism bashing, media bashing etc, etc. It is not too subtle, but done lightheartedly. It is not overly bitter so we get the message without being insulted. In the end though it is unfulfilling as there is a certain futility to the whole thing. Definately worth seeing and thinking about. ****
The Brotherhood of the Wolf: This is a French action/martial arts movie. It lasts too long, lacks any point, is insulting to native Canadians, and the plot is highly implausible. I would also like to add, that there is lots of violence (gratuitous and unbelievable) and a few token brothel scenes with lots of nudity (gratuitous and believable). Movies like this don't come around every day, if you can check it out. This is one you don't need to think about. I won't even bother with a rating.
Changing Lanes: BOOOO!!! What is this? who are these people? and can I have two hours of my life back? *

Movie Review: Attack of the Clones

2002-05-24T12:17:00.000-07:00

Well, this is my first review of a Star Wars movie. The question of how little old me is to review a master like George Lucas weighs heavy on my soul! But, go on as I must, I shall review.

There are movies, and then there are Lucasfilms. This is a Lucasfilm. Despite my enthusiasm, however, I must admit that I was disappointed. And here is why: In the original films the technology that Lucas had at his disposal was truly in its infancy. The technology that he did use was marveled at and rightly made him famous. Now, despite the awe in which the originals find themselves today they did have some problems. Mainly the acting was lack luster and some of the dialogue shabby. If great visual effects, bad acting and cheesy dialogues was all that characterized a Star Wars movie, then Attack of the Clones fits in well. However, to my mind, the genius of the first series lay in the mythology, symbolism and classic characters that Lucas brings together into one epic and heroic story. The acting, dialogue AND the effects were of secondary importance to the incredible and simple story that Lucas is able to tell in a filmed format.

Attack of the Clones focusses too much on the effects at the expense of characters and story. This episode was perhaps the crucial installment of the series. Like The Empire Strikes Back, this episode is all about setup. Here's the problem: the story is so complicated that much needs to happen and be said. Also, the story calls for giant battles and awesome chases. Putting all of this into one movie is a great challenge. I think Lucas did a great job with the battles and chases. The problem is that they take up too much time and the stuff that needs to be said in order to bring us up to date and to move the plot ends up in drawn out dialogues that seem flat. They needed to happen as part of the action. There is a glimpse of Lucas' forgotten genius when Anakin goes to rescue his mother. Here the plot is moved by the action and the characters are developed. All three work together.In other scenes only one is developed. During the droid factory sequence we have stunning visuals lots of action, no plot and no character. The focus on the visuals is inefficient and Lucas consequently needs to rely on crappy dialogue (like the Anakin-Padmay discussions) to do what needs to be done.

Nonetheless Attack of the Clones remains a decent movie. I look forward to the next installment, though I am fearful that Lucas will need two movies to get what needs to be done done. I will abstain from giving this film a rating though.. It is too hard to separate enthusiasm and all of the baggage that accompanies a Star Wars movie from any objective criticism. If a Lucasfilm fails as a Lucasfilm is it not still a superlative film?