Monday Movie Wrap-Up

One of the things that was bugging me about this blog just before that breather, was the number of TV shows/movies/books I was talking about/reviewing (not that many of these are real reviews, just blurbs) about. But it's something to talk about, and I've been told they're occasionally helpful. So I'm going to restrict myself to a weekly (maybe bi-weekly) post about some of the movies I've watched over the past week--unless there's something mind-blowingly great or so freakishly horrific that I think warrants it's own post. I do not promise that these are exhaustive lists of what I've watched, for those keeping score at home, there's one movie I watched last week that I'm reticent to admit I've seen in public.^*

First up is Kenny, a tremendously funny, very endearing film about a portaloo^** plumber. Kenny's one of seemingly ever-increasing number of mockumentaries. It's so well made, however, I kept forgetting that it wasn't a documentary about a very real person. Kenny is an everyman of sorts, fairly content with his lot in life, who has a certain pride in his work--which is unfathomable to just about everyone he comes into contact with--clients and family, particularly the latter. Whether addressing the camera or those he interacts with, Kenny comes across as a genuinely nice guy with a decent dose of common sense and a very quick wit.

The comedy kicks into high-gear when his employer (Splashdown) sends him to the International Pumper and Cleaner Expo in Nashville, TN (Kenny refers to it as "Poo HQ"). Kenny just wanders around and riffs on the exhibits and products. But there is a real story here, it's not just a collection of toilet humor (pun intended), and one with a lot of heart.

Grade: B+/A-

The Life of David Gale wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, and while it wasn't shy about it's anti-capital punishment agenda, there was enough of a plot that you could ignore it. Not a fantastic plot, but a decent one. Here's the set-up, reporter Kate Winslet is assigned to interview David Gale (Kevin Spacey), a former professor/anti-capital punishment activist, in the days before he's executed by the state of Texas for a rape/murder. Gale claims to have been framed, of course, and Winslet soon finds herself in a race to find the framer(s) before he's executed.

It's a decent movie, with a can see it coming a mile-away "shocker" ending. Not the best work I've seen from Spacey, Laura Linney, or Winselt--it's probable that it's the best I've seen from Rhona Mitra, who was able to hide her accent capably. A good way to kill a couple of hours, but little more.

I toss this out for those who've seen it: Roger Ebert said in his review, "I am sure the filmmakers believe their film is against the death penalty. I believe it supports it and hopes to discredit the opponents of the penalty as unprincipled fraudsters." Which made me happy to see I wasn't alone in thinking this. What did you think?

Grade: C

I only sat through 1408 because it was on at work, and I had little choice. Not a horrible horror flick, and Cusak owns the screen throughout as a skeptical writer who's out to debunk a myth about a haunted room. Really not sure why he agreed to this (other than to help fund some of his smaller, worthy, projects). Not terribly bad for a horror flick--overly gross, a few legitmate thrills, and the plot does move in a few unexpected ways. Samuel L. Jackson is capable the few moments he's on screen, and the movie does answer the question I'm sure someone has long been asking, "How would Mary McCormack look with brown hair?"


Grade: B- (a lesser actor than Cusak would've earned it a C- at best)

Lastly, we have Inkheart, based on what I'm told is a really good novel about a man who's able to bring characters/things from books to life just by reading aloud. Fraser (the reader in question) has to use his ability to save his family (and the world) from some escaped fictional villains.

It was a fast-paced movie that tried really hard to be great. The book's obvious love of words, novels, and the realm of the imagination are on fully display for every viewer (which is just a little like "a free ride when you've already paid"). This is one you can sit down and watch with the kids (and you'd probably be better off doing so than watching alone).

There are a few beefs: the villains are mostly too cartoonish and bumbly to take as a credible threat, the plot meanders a bit, and Fraser's the only guy without an accent (making him stick out like Costner in Sherwood Forest).

The movie makes a couple of significant departures from the book. One I could spot from reading the back of the novel's sequel, another I was told about (a significant supporting character from classic lit is replaced with another significant supporting character). Both are very understandable and forgivable if you think about this as a single movie with budget restrictions, not the beginning of a franchise.

Grade: B

^* it was PG-13, so spare me the obvious jokes. Unless they're really funny.
^** translated into American: port-a-potty