Saturday, September 27, 2008
Miracle at St. Anna
Not Spike’s best, not his worst (Girl 6 was), and Spike should not hold his breath for an Oscar.
This is one of the best movies that has captured black soldiers in World War 2.
It should not be compared to Saving Private Ryan and other big budget movies that have been made regarding the war.
As always Spike uses Terence Blanchard to create a heart tugging soundtrack and Spike's cinematographer Matthew Libatique is on point.
What drags the movie down is the editing done by Barry Alexander Brown. Spike is always careful about developing his characters so that you care about them when something happens. However he takes way too much time on this and the movie does not pick up until the 3rd act.
There is plenty of violence and body parts galore so if you have a squeamish stomach skip this one. Derek Luke gives a solid performance and hopefully gets a breakthrough movie soon.
Verdict: Nice effort but not his best. “Do The Right Thing” is still his greatest movie.
This is one of the best movies that has captured black soldiers in World War 2.
It should not be compared to Saving Private Ryan and other big budget movies that have been made regarding the war.
As always Spike uses Terence Blanchard to create a heart tugging soundtrack and Spike's cinematographer Matthew Libatique is on point.
What drags the movie down is the editing done by Barry Alexander Brown. Spike is always careful about developing his characters so that you care about them when something happens. However he takes way too much time on this and the movie does not pick up until the 3rd act.
There is plenty of violence and body parts galore so if you have a squeamish stomach skip this one. Derek Luke gives a solid performance and hopefully gets a breakthrough movie soon.
Verdict: Nice effort but not his best. “Do The Right Thing” is still his greatest movie.
Lakeview Terrace
Samuel Jackson is one of the best actors on the scene today period. He should have won the Oscar for Pulp Fiction when he was about to kill the drug addict in the diner at the end of the movie but let him go.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd4VSkj0Wks&feature=related
Anyway he did not win and he will probably get an award when he is as old as Morgan Freeman.
Given the above this is what prompted me to see this movie. This crazy cop premise has been done before in Bad Lt., Unlawful Entry, etc.
Back to the movie: This would have been a Lifetime movie if Samuel Jackson was not in it. That’s how weak and predictable it is.
Verdict: Don’t waste 1 minute on this one.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
The Family That Preys
I have never been a big fan of Alfrie Woodard but while watching this movie I realized that she is the most underrated actress in Hollywood. Most of Tyler Perry's serious movies are predictable and this one you can figure out from the very beginning. I do feel that this is his best serious movie to date with "Why Did We Get Married" a close second. Robin Givens is still on the scene and she has held up amazingly well since the 80's. I guess Mike Tyson had an eye for beauty back in the day. Givens is cast in a role she normally does not play and for once she shows that after all these years she can act.
Back to Woodard, she is not the most attractive woman in the movie but her scenes of endearment have feeling and makes you care about her and her best friend.
The ending is typical but there are many loose ends. Rockmond Dunbar, the fantastic actor from Soul Food and Prison Break, is wasted in this movie. I could imagine him reading the script and asking questions about his character. Maybe he just wanted to be in a Tyler Perry movie. There are many "A" List black actors and actresses who do. He is the Spike Lee of this generation.
Back to Woodard, she is not the most attractive woman in the movie but her scenes of endearment have feeling and makes you care about her and her best friend.
The ending is typical but there are many loose ends. Rockmond Dunbar, the fantastic actor from Soul Food and Prison Break, is wasted in this movie. I could imagine him reading the script and asking questions about his character. Maybe he just wanted to be in a Tyler Perry movie. There are many "A" List black actors and actresses who do. He is the Spike Lee of this generation.
Verdict: If you thought Oprah and Gail driving across America was cool, then this movie is for you. Everybody else needs to wait for "Madea Goes To Jail."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)