Archive for December, 2005

Brokeback Mountain

  • Written by Box Office Boredom
  • Posted December 16, 2005 at 11:50 pm

A Film Review By Jason L. King

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Heath Ledger, Michelle Williams, and Princess Diaries! 
Directed By: Ang Lee 
Rated: R for nudity, sexuality and language 

Final Grade: 

In a time where everyone is looking for that film of the year, Brokeback Mountain came out in theaters. Ang Lee’s gay cowboy movie; (as everyone is referring to it as) pushes boundaries and gives some homophobic people a true scare. What they don’t notice is that the film is well directed and has a interesting story behind it. The acting is great, Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal do an excellent job with a very challenging role for them. However, the film isn’t worth all the hype. While it has solid performances and an edgy story, I was kind of bored by it and really didn’t care in the end.

What may stand out as the downfall of the film is the somewhat weird ending that involves weird shirt fondling. On top of that there are scenes that you can tell Ang is being too artistic for his own good. The perfect example the “firework” scene where they show a macho looking Ledger standing in front of a firework filled sky. It’s so arty and cheesy looking that for me it didn’t fit with the rest of the film. Also I wasn’t that impressed with Michelle Williams performance despite all the critical acclaim. I thought it was over the top and rediculous. It could have just been how the character was written, but she acted very over dramatic in every scene that she was in and I thought it stuck out like a sore thumb.

And now for what everyone is worried about: The Gayness! Rest assured homophobic peoples of the world. It’s not as gay as one would think! In fact I thought the film was saying that “Being Gay is something that you have to hide and no one should know. On top of that being gay can ruin families.” And the gay scenes that are actually in the film are not that graphic. They are quick little bursts that only take a minute combined at most. We’ve seen more gay action in other films in previous years. So the gay stuff isn’t being shown, or really even being promoted as a good thing in the film, But many people won’t give the film a chance to learn what it really is about anyway.

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Filed under: Drama, Movies

King Kong

  • Written by Box Office Boredom
  • Posted December 14, 2005 at 10:15 pm

A Film Review By The Mike

Starring: Jack Black, Adrien Brody, Naomi Watts
Directed By: Peter Jackson
Rated Rated PG-13 for intense action scenes and some disturbing imagery that may not be suitable for youngins

Final Grade:

Box Office Bullet Points: The Movie In A Nutshell

*Jason’s review is too wrong (even if it’s mostly right), so I’ll clear up a few points for y’all.

*The acting across the board is fantastic. Jackson’s managed to layer a lot of subtext about the relationships between men and women and how different types of men deal with challenges into the film, which really makes every character fascinating when considered in relation to the others.

*The three hour runtime feels shorter than most (if not all) three hour movies I’ve seen, and definitely feels shorter than recent two-hour-ish fare like Rent or The Chronicles of Narnia.

*The visual effects are among the best ever produced, even if there are tiny flaws like the Naomi Watts in Kong’s hand looking a little like a Barbie doll at times.

*The kids’ll be scared now, but this is the kind of movie that breeds imagination and wonder in a child’s mind, just like the original was for filmmakers like Spielberg and Jackson. If I were a parent I’d be dragging my children to this one, it’s the stuff that dreams are made of.

The Verdict:
Peter Jackson’s tribute to King Kong is among the most fantastic tales ever put on the big screen. It might take a little time to get rolling, but when the action starts it takes control of the viewer and doesn’t let go. Too many people are afraid to make movies that are this full of care these days, especially when more commercial products like the previously mentioned Narnia will take their money for being a safer bet. In many ways, this film seems made by aspirations that echo the ones of the filmmaker played by Jack Black within it.

But I encourage each and every one of you to give it a chance, on the big screen. This is filmed spectacle at its greatest, and anyone who says they like movies and passes it up is clearly not sure where their allegiances lie.

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King Kong

  • Written by Box Office Boredom
  • Posted at 10:14 pm

A Film Review By Jason L. King

Starring: Jack Black, Adrien Brody, Naomi Watts
Directed By: Peter Jackson
Rated Rated PG-13 for intense action scenes and some disturbing imagery that may not be suitable for youngins

Final Grade:

Box Office Bullet Points: The Movie In A Nutshell

*Jackson scores again with yet another Visual Masterpiece!

*An Excellent Musical Score makes this film even more action packed and intense!

*The film hails a 3 plus hour runtime! It definitely feels a long, but good none the less

*Jack Black in a semi serious role: Hard to take at first, but it grows on you…

*All though many adults will take their children to this film, It’s not for the young kiddies! It’s got some intense battle scenes and some creepy characters and scary Tribal natives that could spawn nightmares for the little ones

Many asked after the success of Lord of the Rings, just how can Jackson top that? Jackson’s latest attempt may fall short when in comparison in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy as a whole, but his remake of King Kong breathes new life into the collossal movie ape and the classic tale surrounding it. Jackson is a master of his craft, recreating for a new generation this tale of the great ape with a vast amount of technology audiences could never dream of when the original Kong film was made (1933).

What makes this film outstanding is the excellent visuals, a great soundtrack and an excellent cast, including Jack Black (School of Rock, High Fidelity) Adrian Brody (The Pianist) and Naomi Watts. Jack Black steps into this semi serious role quite well and Brody plays the strong silent, and handsome hero quite well. Watts performance as the blonde beauty is limited when it comes to words, but her performance is equal to her predecessor, Fay Wray.

King Kong unfortunately suffers from Jackson’s vision of a 3 hour Kong! The film definitely is lengthy, and the audiences will be feeling the length durig the final scene. A lot of time is spent prepping for their trip to Skull Island, and lots of battles and discoveries of some of Skull Island’s creepy crawlies give this film it’s length. While each scene is visually spectacular, many were not necessary and could have been cut out to make a much more concise film. None the less, this is a joy to watch and so the 3 hours passes quite quickly once the story drags you in.

The Verdict:
Jackson’s retelling makes for an exciting epic adventure that should easilly be the visual event of the year. This is a film that is definitely better on the big screen. Get to a theater and check out the giant ape on a giant screen with great sound! Don’t forget to pick up enough snacks as you head into the theater, you’ll be in there for a while. But once Kong appears on the screen for the first time, you won’t want to leave for a refill on your popcorn!

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Filed under: Action, Movies

Syriana

  • Written by Box Office Boredom
  • Posted December 5, 2005 at 6:29 am

A Film Review By Jason L. King

Starring: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Chris Cooper, Amanda Peet, Jeffery Wright
Directed By: Steven Gaghan
Rated: Rated R for language, violence and disturbing imagery

Final Grade:

Box Office Bullet Points: The Movie In A Nutshell

*This political thriller tried so hard to stay wishy washy. Just like the American government, there is no black or whire. This film hides in the grey areas and is afraid to actually speak it’s mind.

*Not enough character development to make me care about the people involved in the story.

*Film was definitely cut down from it’s original length, this is especially evident when watching the Matt Damon character. *The movie doesn’t push the envelope. The movie is about corruption of oil companies. They’ve already crossed the line and sided with a predominately liberal crowd, why not side full force and make a real statement? *The film has a scene with Half naked Clooney torture. Anyone who knows me should know that torture is fine in my book, but half naked Clooneys…thats a different story all together. I’m far too much of a homophob for that! (just kidding) In a time where the political thriller ios the new norm for Hollywood, Syriana steps out into the ranks of Goodnight and Goodluck, Lord of War, and the Constant Gardener. Unlike it’s predecessors, it fails to pack enough of a politically charged punch. I personally did not connect with any of the characters. I did not feel as though I knew any of them. There was a lot going on in this film and it wasn’t presented well enough to me to make heads or tails of it. Whiel I do not want to sound like a film snob, I was confused at times by this film, and I had done my homework before I went in! The mainstream audience is going to be coming out of this baffled and confused and not caring enough to watch it a second time.

The Verdict:
A great idea and a great Clooney performance make this film watchable, yet quickly forgettable.

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