SNAP FILM REVIEWS
'Dirty Harry' Is Retired And Living In Detroit
ere's the low-down on some recently released movies.
Gran Torino
Starring Clint Eastwood, Christopher Carley, Bee Vang, Ahney Her, Geraldine Hughes, Dreama Walker. Directed by Clint Eastwood.
Dirty Harry is back. At least, that's how Gran Torino looks to me with the familiar mix of action, black humor and some "thought-provoking" moments.
It's never a question of whether Eastwood is going to deliver in a movie -- he almost always brings his A-game. Now one of Hollywood's elder statesman, he's one of its best actors and directors.
It's clear that in Gran Torino, Eastwood borrowed some ideas from Million Dollar Baby. Here, his character Walt is a leering loner surrounded by strangers who threaten his comfort zone and his racial stereotypes. It's a character that Eastwood inhabits effortlessly, so I won't complain. Yet Torino doesn't live up to Eastwood's epic dramas of the last few years, despite its surprising end twists.
Summary: Worth $15 for a ticket and popcorn on a Saturday night, but don't expect Clint to keep Oscar company next year.
Doubt
Starring Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Viola Davis. Directed by John Patrick Shanley.
I had misgivings about seeing Doubt. I'm not a fan of Amy Adams or Meryl Streep, and my love of Phillip Seymour Hoffman was barely enough to overcome my ambivalence.
I'm glad I did. Set in the 60s, the story features a sadistic school nun who ruthlessly penalizes a priest for his puzzling relationship with a new black student. Not surprisingly, the film's A-list actors fill it with crackerjack performances.
This movie will most likely appeal to lapsed Catholics, psychologists and angst-filled English majors. I would have titled the movie "Intense," so skip the latte from the snack bar.
Summary: Good, but a downer. You might want to wait until its released at your local RedBox, as this isn't a movie you'll want to see more than once.
Valkyrie
Starring Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Terence Stamp, Tom Wilkinson and Eddie Izzard. Directed by Bryan Singer.
Bryan Singer.... I heart you, but dammit, you've been making bad decisions. First you choose Superman Returns over X-Men 3, ruining both series instead of ending the X-men trilogy out right.
And then you cast Tom Cruise to play a German Nazi with an American accent! At least House is still good. Or I'm just being mean; just because I don't like Tom Cruise doesn't mean I have to hate his work. Or as they say, 'Hate the artist, not the art.'
In short (and that's not a dig at Cruise), Valkyrie fails to thrill despite its epic historical premise: a group of Nazis who hatch a failed plot to assassinate the Führer. Cruise, who like Brad Pitt gets a bad rap for his press savvy, delivers a decent performance but fails to reach his usual heights. (OK, that one was aimed at Cruise.) This movie doesn't go far enough though and will eventually make its way to the $9.99 rack at your local Wal-Mart.
Summary: Go see this movie because Cruise is a good actor and Singer is a great director. Definitely see if you've already seen all the other new "high-minded" movies, including Slumdog Millionaire.
Marc Sakol understands the kindness in strangers, which is why he abandons hope of actually getting to know people. He spends his time falling head first into video games, watching every movie ever made and writing for his blog Sarcasm Not Included.
Posted January 9, 2009
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