Based on the Clive Cussler best-selling novel, Raise the Titanic is an exciting Cold War thriller. While tracking down a shipment of a rare mineral with military potential, retired Navy captain Dirk Pitt discovers that it was lost in the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912, leading him to propose the impossible…Raise the Titanic. It’s a fairly interesting story that’s full of mystery and intrigue; especially given that this fictional account of Titanic’s discover and raising was written before the real-life discovery in 1985. Additionally, the model work and set designs are rather impressive, as is the film’s score. Raise the Titanic is a little contrived at times, but it’s also a fun piece of pulp fiction.
A Night to Remember recounts the tragic tale of the sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic on its maiden voyage after it struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic. Based on Walter Lord’s bestselling book, the film follows various Titanic passengers and crew throughout the sinking, along with the rescue efforts (or lack thereof) of the Californian and Carpathia. This is simultaneously the film’s greatest strength and weakness; as it allows for an expansive overview of events, but also makes it difficult to get to know individual characters. The model work and special effects are pretty good (for the time), and give a real sense of scope to the tragedy. However, the score is rather bland and doesn’t have much emotional resonance to it. Still, while A Night to Remember has some weaknesses, it delivers a compelling depiction of one of the greatest maritime disasters in history.
From Twentieth Century-Fox comes Titanic, the first major motion picture about the Titanic disaster. The story follows a society couple that attempts to reconcile their estranged marriage on the maiden voyage of the R.M.S. Titanic. Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck both give strong performances and have tremendous screen presence. Additionally, the writing (which won an Academy Award) is quite compelling. However, the film glosses over a lot of the actual people and events of the real sinking. Yet despite the lack of historical accuracy, Titanic is an especially well-made film that’s dramatic and exciting.
The Nazi propaganda film Titanic is incredibly bizarre yet imminently fascinating. Aside from a few names, the ship, and the iceberg, there’s no resemblance to the real people and events. In this version greedy president of the White Star Line Bruce Ismay pushes the Titanic’s speed in order to set a new world record in hopes of raising the company’s stock price and winning a prestigious Blue Riband; meanwhile the ship's only German officer, Petersen, attempts to warn passengers and crew that an impending disaster awaits if the ship isn’t slowed down before they reach the ice fields that lie ahead. The film is appalling on so many levels, yet it’s rather interesting to see how things have been distorted to fit the anti-British narrative. An obscene piece of propaganda, Titanic failed spectacularly (forgotten almost immediately after it was released) and sank into obscurity.
From Paul W.S. Anderson comes the disaster film Pompeii. The story follows a gladiator who’s sent to Pompeii for their games, but when Mount Vesuvius erupts he uses the chaos to break free of his bonds and attempts to rescue the magistrate's daughter, who saved him from execution. The plot is fairly trite, but is functional and provides characters to follow throughout the disaster. Kiefer Sutherland, Emily Browning, Carrie-Anne Moss, and newcomer Kit Harington lead the cast, and their performances are more or less adequate. The action sequences however, are especially good and bring a lot of excitement to the film. The CGI effects are a little overdone, but kind of work for the setting. And, the score is quite effective at accentuating the tone of the scenes. It has some problems, but overall Pompeii is an entertaining adventure.
Director Brett Ratner looks at the man behind the legend in the big-budget action film Hercules. Based on a graphic novel, the story follows the Greek warrior Hercules and his band of mercenaries as they come to the aid of the King of Thrace to help him fight off a warlord. The film features an impressive cast that includes Dwayne Johnson, Ian McShane, Rufus Sewell, and John Hurt. However, the performances are a little weak; as the characters come off as one-dimensional stereotypes. Still, that’s about par for this type of action film, but is made up for by the exciting fight sequences. And, the score brings a lot of energy to the film. Yet while it has some problems, overall Hercules is a fairly decent sword and sandals style adventure.
From director Renny Harlin comes the trite and formulaic epic The Legend of Hercules. When Hercules is betrayed by his king and sold into slavery, he fights to regain his freedom and leads a rebellion. The casting is quite poor, and the performances are lifeless. Additionally, the special effects are overly produced; as the CGI stands out and looks remarkably fake. And Harlin’s directing makes a bad situation worse through sped up action scenes and freeze framing. The Legend of Hercules is a by the numbers sword-and-sandals film with no passion to it.
Journey to Bethlehem is a whimsical, lighthearted musical based on the Nativity story. After becoming betrothed to Joseph, Mary is visited by an angel who tells her that she will give birth to the Son of God; meanwhile three magi from the East travel to Judea after witnessing an astrological sign that a new king will be born. Several liberties are takes with the biblical account, such as making Mary a more proactive character and an exploration of the relationship between Pilot and his son. And there are some tonal problems; as bits of comedy are inserted that are rather jarring and don’t fit with the overall dramatic tone. Still, the musical numbers are energetic and fun, and feature some impressive choreography. Presenting a bold new vision of the greatest story ever told, Journey to Bethlehem is an entertaining and uplifting film.
Russell Crowe stars in the supernatural horror film The Pope’s Exorcist. When a young boy becomes possessed while his mother is renovating an old Spanish abbey, Father Gabriele Amorth, the Vatican’s chief exorcist, is called in to help and makes a terrifying discovery. While the film claims to be based on Amorth’s memoirs, most of the plot is fictitious and recycles the same old possession tropes; walking on walls, demonic voices, body contortions, etc. However Crowe gives a fun performance as an eccentric priest, and the writers do a good job at building mystery and suspense. Additionally, the score is well-done and enhances the atmospheric tone. The Pope’s Exorcist has some weaknesses, but overall it’s entertaining and delivers some frightening thrills.
From Netflix comes the true-crime documentary The Devil on Trial. The film examines the trail of Arne Johnson, which attempted to put forth a demonic possession defense based on his involvement in a Catholic authorized exorcism and the expert testimonies of demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren. Several of Johnson’s friends and family members are interviewed, along with others who were involved with the trial; augmented with dramatic recreations and original audio recordings. And while most of the interviewees are of the opinion that something supernatural occurred, there are a few dissenting opinions presented; leaving it to the viewer to decide who to believe. However, the actual murder and trail are fairly mundane, lacking any real shocking twists or revelations. Still, overall The Devil on Trial is an interesting tale regardless of where the truth lies in it all.
Dana Carvey stars in the wacky screwball comedy Clean Slate. The story follows a PI named ML Pogue who, after suffering brain damage, develops a condition that causes him to lose his memory whenever he falls asleep, but as a key witness in a murder trail he can’t let anyone know. Carvey gives a great performance and is backed by a strong supporting cast that includes Valeria Golino, Kevin Pollak, Olivia d’Abo, and James Earl Jones. And the humor is especially well-done, with a lot of fun sketches of Pogue trying to bluff his way through situations. But the plot is rather thin and doesn’t make sense at times. Yet despite its problems, Clean Slate is entertaining and fun of laughs.
A Guy Thing is a mediocre, by-the-numbers romantic comedy. When Paul wakes up next to a strange woman after a wild batcher party, he tries to hide it from his fiancée, but things get complicated when he discovers that the woman is his fiancée’s cousin. Starring Jason Lee, Julia Stiles, and Selma Blair, the film has a solid cast. However, the plot is formulaic as all get-out; making it painfully predictable. And the comedy is incredibly broad, with a lot of low brow humor. Still, some of the jokes work, and Lee and Stiles are charming and do a good job with the comedy. It’s entertaining and delivers some laughs, but A Guy Thing is completely forgettable.
Lucy Hale stars in the raunchy sex comedy A Nice Girl Like You. When her boyfriend breaks up with her for being pornophobic, Lucy makes a list of things to do to get over her sexual inhibitions. Hale gives a fun, charismatic performance, but the writing is weak. There’s really no arc for the character; she does the things on her list, but isn’t shown learning anything or changing her attitudes, nor does she show any reluctance to do the items on her list (which kind of negates the whole pornophobic diagnosis). Still, the awkward situations that Lucy gets in completing her list provides some laughs. Yet while it’s entertaining at times, A Nice Girl Like You is a poorly make film that doesn’t work.
Anna Faris is The House Bunny in this mediocre comedy. When Shelley is kicked out of the Playboy Mansion she finds a new home at the ZETA sorority house, which is in desperate need of help to save their sorority from losing its charter. Faris gives a great comedic performance and is backed by a strong supporting cast that includes Emma Stone, Kat Dennings, and Colin Hanks. However, the plot couldn’t be more formulaic; hitting all the usual tropes and clichés. Still, a lot of the jokes work and the film has a positive message. Yet while it’s entertaining and delivers some laughs, The House Bunny is a rote comedy that’s rather forgettable.
“I’m not a girl, not yet a woman.” Pop star Britney Spears stars in the coming-of-age film Crossroads. The story follows three estranged high school friends who take a cross-country trip together after graduation. Spears gives a pretty good performance (though is a bit miscast as a virginal pre-med valedictorian), and the supporting cast, which includes Zoe Saldana, Taryn Manning, Dan Aykroyd, and Kim Cattrall, give solid performances as well. And the film tackles some surprisingly mature issues, including sexual abuse, teen pregnancy, and parental abandonment. However, there are also a number of useless filler scenes of singing to the car radio again and again and again, and other minutia. Yet while it has some problems, Crossroads is a compelling teen drama that has some interest things to say.
Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz star in the action comedy Knight and Day. On her way to her sister’s wedding, June Havens has her world turned upside down when she crosses paths with a secret agent. The action’s pretty good and gives the film a lot of energy. The comedy however, is a little overdone; as the clever satire starts to become farcical after a while. Also, there are times when the score undercuts some of the energy of the action scenes. Still, Knight and Day is a fun and entertaining film full of thrills, as well as laughs.
Redeeming Love is a touching and powerful drama based on the bestselling novel by Francine Rivers. A modernization of the biblical story of Hosea set in the Old West, a farmer, feeling lead by God, rescues a prostitute named Angel from a brothel and marries her, but she finds it hard to leave her life of prostitution behind and to accept the new life being offered to her. Starring Abigail Cowen, Tom Lewis, Eric Dane, and Famke Janssen, the cast is pretty good and deliver strong performances. And director D.J. Caruso does an impressive job as well. Additionally, the film handles the material especially well; without being sexually exploitive or preachy. However, the pacing can be a little slow at times and a couple of the characters are underdeveloped. Yet despite having a few weaknesses, Redeeming Love is a compelling story about love and forgiveness.
Ben Stiller, Edward Norton, and Jenna Elfman star in the hilarious rom-com Keeping the Faith. The story follows two friends, Brian and Jake, who grew up to become a priest and a rabbi in New York City, and reunite with their childhood friend Anna, but their friendships are jeopardized when Jake and Anna begin secretly dating. Stiller, Norton, and Elfman all have great chemistry together and do a good job at handling the witty, sardonic humor. And the film is surprisingly respectful of religion and has a positive message. However, the love story’s rather formulaic, featuring the usual tropes. Keeping the Faith has a few weaknesses, but overall it’s a fun and entertaining film.
Keri Russell stars in the satirical comedy Austenland. The story follows a young woman obsessed with the works of Jane Austen, who takes a vacation to a retreat in the English countryside where she gets to live out a Jane Austen style adventure. Russell gives a great performance and has good chemistry with her co-stars. Additionally, Jennifer Coolidge and Jane Seymour make for a strong supporting cast. Still, the writing is a little weak and the plot doesn’t always seem like it knows where it’s going. But despite its ups and downs, Austenland is fun and entertaining.
From Ron Howard comes the magical romantic comedy Splash. When Allen Bauer has a chance meeting with a mysterious woman on the beach, she follows him back to New York were the two strike up an unlikely romance; but unbeknownst to him, she’s a mermaid. The casting is brilliant, and includes Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, Eugene Levy, and John Candy; who all give strong comedic performances. The storytelling is a little lazy, but the characters are interesting and the comedy is done very well. Full of laughs, Splash is a charming film that’s entertaining and fun.
Nora Ephron bastardizes the classic ‘60s sitcom Bewitched in this modern adaptation. The story follows a witch named Isabell who’s trying to live a normal life without magic, but soon finds herself tempted when she’s cast in a Hollywood studio’s revival of the classic television show Bewitched. Starring Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Shirley MacLaine, and Michael Caine, the cast is pretty good. However, Ephron seems more interested in making a satire about Hollywood than a rom-com; causing a lot of unevenness in the tone and wild shifts in the plot. Still, a lot of the jokes work and the characters are charming and fun. Yet while it’s entertaining, Bewitched is a mess that doesn’t have a clear vision of what it wants to be.
From the Farrelly brothers comes the classic ‘90s comedy There’s Something About Mary. When a therapy session awakens feelings for his old high school girlfriend, Ted decides to track her down but finds that the PI that he hired to find her has fallen for her too. Starring Cameron Diaz, Ben Stiller, Matt Dillon, and Chris Elliott, the film has a strong cast that has great chemistry together; delivering a ton of laughs. However, in typical Farrelly brothers style, some of the humor is a bit crass and over-the-top. Still, most of the jokes hit and the soundtrack is lighthearted and fun. There’s Something About Mary has its weak spots, but overall it’s a wildly entertaining film.
Worthy of every bit of its infamous reputation, Gigli is an amazingly bad rom-com. The story follows a low-level mobster who’s tasked with kidnapping the mentally challenged brother of a federal prosecutor, and soon finds himself saddled with a partner when his boss grows concerned about the job he’s doing. Ben Affleck gives a terrible performance, as does Jennifer Lopez. And it’s only made worse by the cameos of Christopher Walken and Al Pacino (who show-up everyone who dares to share the screen with them). However, part of the problem is the writing; as the dialog is horrendous. The tone of the film is also an issue, as there’s a lot of disparate elements that don’t quite fit together. Gigli has a few things going for it, but it just doesn’t work and ends up making a mess of everything.
It Could Happen to You is a delightful romantic comedy that’s inspirational and heartwarming. In this New York fairytale a beat cop promises half of his potential lotto winnings to a waitress in lieu of a tip, but when he wins the money brings about a strange and whimsical journey of ups and downs. Nicolas Cage and Bridget Fonda are charming together and deliver wonderful performances. Rosie Perez however, is as annoying as all get-out. Also, the plot is a bit formulaic at times, and there are issues with the pacing. Yet while it has its flaws, It Could Happen to You is a lot of fun.
“Never give up, never surrender!” Galaxy Quest is an extraordinary sci-fi comedy that’s smart and funny. The story follows a group of washed up actors from the cult sci-fi television series Galaxy Quest, who are abducted by a race of aliens that have no concept of fiction and see the Galaxy Quest cast as real life heroes. Starring Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, and Sam Rockwell, the cast is quiet impressive; giving exceptional performances that balance the humor and the action. And the comedy itself especially good and does an excellent job at spoofing the sci-fi genre and its topes; brilliantly satirizes ‘60s science fiction television (such as Star Trek), as well as the culture of fandom. By Grabthar’s Hammer, Galaxy Quest is a hilariously entertaining adventure.
“Greetings Starfighters...” A science fiction classic, The Last Starfighter delivers an imaginative, action-packed adventure. After breaking the record on the Starfighter arcade game at his trailer park, Alex Rogan is approached by the game’s creator and taken to a space-station on a distant planet where he learns that the arcade game was really an alien recruiting tool to find Starfighters to defend the Star League against an invasion force. Starring Lance Guest, Catherine Mary Stewart, and Robert Preston, the film has a good cast that delivers some pretty strong performances. And, as one of the first feature films to use CGI, the special effects are incredibly innovative and revolutionary for their time. The score by Craig Safan is also extraordinarily well-done, and is full of sweeping themes. Though it’s aged a bit, The Last Starfighter is a fun and entertaining space odyssey.
It’s game on in the goofball comedy Pixels. After mistaking a message from a NASA probe as an intergalactic military challenge, an alien race sends an army to Earth to fight a series of battles, each based on a classic arcade game, that will determine the fate of humanity. Starring Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Michelle Monaghan, and Peter Dinklage, the film has a fairly strong cast. The writing however, is rather poor; as the writers seem to have an idea of what they want to do, but don’t quite know how to get there. Still, the action sequences are pretty good and use the video game motif especially well.Pixels is entertaining and delivers a few laughs, but it’s a bit muddled at times.
Dan Aykroyd and John Landis get the band back together for the reunion film Blues Brothers 2000. Less of a sequel and more of a remake, the story is beat for beat the same as the original; which shows a complete lack of originality and creativity, making the film utterly pointless. But beyond that, the tone is inconsistent and is full of cartoonishness and fantasy themes that don’t work. A spectacular mess, Blues Brothers 2000 has no idea what it’s doing.
John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd are Jake and Elwood Blues, two blues musicians “on a mission from God,” in the hilarious comedy The Blues Brothers. Directed and co-written by John Landis, this popular Saturday Night Live sketch gets turned into a full length film that follows Jake and Elwood as they get their old band back together to raise money to save an orphanage. A virtual musical extravaganza, there are featured cameos from James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and Ray Charles; all in fun, energetic musical numbers. Some of the jokes are a little corny, but Belushi and Aykroyd’s charisma is just too irresistible. Wildly entertaining and full of laughs, The Blues Brothers is a classic ‘80s comedy with soul.
“Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?” From writer/director John Hughes comes one of the most iconic films of the ‘80s, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. The story follows high school senior Ferris Bueller, who ditches school in order to have a day of adventure and gets into crazy shenanigans with his freinds. Starring Matthew Broderick, Mia Sara, Alan Ruck, and Jennifer Grey, the film has a great cast; Broderick in particular has a lot of charisma. And the comedy is especially well-written, with some very clever meta humor and breaking of the fourth wall. Entertaining and incredibly fun, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is an excellent comedy and one of John Hughes’ best films.
