NOTE: I have seen this movie just before the Oscars, after a long string of award wins. I’m posting this review late on purpose – waiting for the Oscar craze to die down, as well as all the hype surrounding the movie in the first place. Too much has been said about Brokeback’s loss to …
Author Archives: david
Capote (2005)
Truman Capote was brilliant, disturbed man. An intellectual with constantly wounded ego, he loved the sound of his voice almost as much as he loved when people turned to see or hear him. His ongoing self-hatred and self-admiration is at the core of this movie, and at the core of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s performance. He …
Match Point (2005)
Ahhh, to be a part of posh, British, exclusive high society. To be leading edge, and and the same time – countryside; to be screwing around one weekend, and going through the paces of an arranged marriage the next. To be at the opera one night, and lurking in the motels the next day. Ahhh, …
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)
Memoirs of a Geisha wants so hard to be a poignant, serene observation of human nature in the Far East that it gets lost in its own narrative, frequently prefers style over substance, and offers a gorgeous film, with wonderfully misguided casting, and a lot of build-up with little payoff. Which is a shame, because …
Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005)
They never closed. The famed Windmill theater in London prided itself on never closing its doors to audiences during the worst air raids of WWII. Yes, that is one way to remember the theater, but Mrs. Henderson Presents mentions this in passing, as a matter-of-fact. The movie is based on a tense and hilarious relationship …
King Kong (2005) – revisiting a reimagined remake
King Kong has been playing in theaters for about a month now, and prior to that it’s been promoted on say, every possible medium – newspapers, television, radio, internet, and bus stops. Too much spin for my liking. Now that it’s out of the top ten box office films, I decided to go check it …
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The Weather Man (2005)
Thanks to J.D. Salinger we know everything there is to know about teenage angst. The book (Catcher in the Rye, for those who don’t read much) was about a boy growing up and dealing with becoming a mature individual. Dealing with rejection, lust, trust, friendship, loss. Basically, becoming an adult without a reliable, constant authority …
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
Don’t you just hate it when a fun, entertaining movie opens up and dies a slow and painful death in a few weeks? Don’t you feel really good about yourself for having “discovered” it along with a dozen of so people who were also sitting with you in the dark, laughing out loud, enjoying the …
RIP John Spencer (1946-2005)
It’s a little late, I know, but honestly, when I first heard about this on Saturday morning, I thought it was an elaborate joke. Perhaps The West Wing writers are trying to get some publicity for the show, or maybe some joker announced it on the radio somewhere, and the story spread out of control. …
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
“Difficult times lie ahead, Harry.” Difficult indeed. The kids are growing up — faster than their characters in the book(s). The directors for this franchise keep changing — not always a bad thing, but if you got someone with a specific visual style (Alfonso Cuaron), the successor (Mike Newell) should at least try to match …
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