The American President, starring Michael Douglas, Annette Bening, Richard Dreyfuss, Martin Sheen & Michael J. Fox, is a poignant and romantic look into politics during the 90’s. With an all-star cast and great writing and directing American President is a pleasure to watch. It’s certainly one of those films you can watch over and over again and get the humor and life out of it every time.
The American President
4 Stars
I like how this discussion ignites between Michael Douglas and Annette Bening; the two really have a great flare between them, as their characters grow closer to one another.
President Andrew Shepherd: You’re attracted to me, but the idea of physical intimacy is uncomfortable because you only know me as the President. But it’s not always going to be that way, and the reason I know that is there was a moment last night when you were with ME, not the President. And I know what a big step that was for you. So, Sydney, I’m in no rush. Here’s my plan. We’re going to slow down, and when you’re comfortable, that’s when it’s going to happen.
[Sydney emerges from the bathroom wearing nothing but one of his shirts] President Andrew Shepherd: Perhaps I didn’t properly explain the fundamentals of the slowdown plan. Sydney Ellen Wade: [feeling the bed] No, you explained it great. President Andrew Shepherd: Are you nervous? Sydney Ellen Wade: No. President Andrew Shepherd: Good. My nervousness exists on… several levels. Number one, and this is in no particular order, I haven’t done this in a pretty long time. Number two, uh, any expectations that you might have, given the fact that I’m… you know… Sydney Ellen Wade: [approaching seductively] The most powerful man in the world? President Andrew Shepherd: Exactly, thank you. I think it’s important you remember that’s a political distinction that comes
with the office. I mean, if, uh, Eisenhower were here instead of me, he’d be dead by now… and number three…
Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas), a dedicated Democrat, single father and the president of the United States, finds himself head over heels for lobbyist Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening), not only falling in love, but tripping over his presidency to court her. Sydney is shocked and really excited all at the same time when the president calls her apartment to ask her out on a date. Throughout their relationship, both must duck and dodge the political paparazzi and keep their names clean. With Sydney being a lobbyist, it’s hard to explain that she isn’t sleeping with the pres to get her way and with the new election coming up and Bob Rumson (Richard Dreyfuss) trying to win the election; Andrew must watch his p’s and q’s. Bob spends most of the campaign politically and personally trashing Andrew, lowering his ratings, cause Andrew won’t fight dirty and won’t acknowledge the slanderous plows. Even after A.J. (Martin Sheen) and Lewis (Michael J. Fox), the presidents advisors, plea with him to stop dating Sydney during election time and confront Rumson and his attacks, Andrew still won’t back down. Finally he holds a conference that sets everything straight and puts Rumson in his place. In the process of putting Rumson in his place and setting things straight he was forced to turn down the bill the Sydney was lobbying for, which put a huge riff in their relationship. Of course, in the end, Andrew wins out and gets her flowers, she forgives and everybody is happy.
Great film, a real enjoyment to watch. Michael Douglas and Annette Bening have real talent and work well together.
It’s fall and winter preview time here at Razorfine. I’m going to be your host to a bevy of delicious and delightful big screen moments to keep you warm and pleasantly entertained in the coming frigid and cold months. Let’s hope that it’ll be a pleasant experience for all involved; to be honest, I thought that Jan – Aug really fed the public some serious stink bombs. Let me refresh your memory a bit: The Condemned, License to Wed, Norbit, Next, Ghost Rider, Pathfinder, 300, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Hot Fuzz, Balls of Fury, September Dawn and there are quite a few more, just thought I would hit the obvious. However, there was a few pleasant surprises like: Death at a Funeral, Waitress, Nancy Drew, Once and Knocked Up, The Bourne Ultimatum, King of Kong…oops I almost forgot my favorite to date Shoot Em Up. So strap in and hold on, this could be a bumpy ride, join me in our short trip to the future of films being released between Sept – Dec.
2007 Fall Movie Preview
N/A
Well there has been no shortage of really uneventful and utterly crap films so far this year. One could almost say it’s been a plethora of bad comedy and even worse action, all for the masses to spend their limited hard earned buck on. How disappointing that must be, paying anywhere from $9 – $12 a head plus the exorbitant candy, soda and popcorn prices (I never get out of it for less than $50) and at the end of the film the only response you could muster up is a mixture of tears and anger. You’ve just wasted, what took you so much to save, especially with today’s economy, on one of the many crappy films that promised, in a trailer, to have a big pay off. That’s why we exist, the elite group of critic super heroes dawning our laptop and recorder to bring you the latest on entertainment. Don’t shame us in the theaters when you get your free tickets to see the film before it’s released, many of us are there for your benefit to make sure you don’t waste that tank of gas on the price of a crappy night at the multiplex. Take a trip with me and let’s see what to expect on our fall and winter horizons; cross your fingers we might be in for a treat.
September 19
The Last Winter (Limited)
Shot back in March of 2005 The Last Winter is finally getting it’s screen-time. Indie-horror writer and director, Larry Fessenden (Wendigo), brings icy chills with his psychological thriller The Last Winter. Starring Ron Perlman, James LeGros and Connie Britton as a crew out on an Alaskan oil expedition facing the harsh elements created by man and the destruction of Mother Nature. The crew begins to psychologically crack and demons start haunting their paths. Stuck in an accident with no way out, the leads are forced to join together and sprint back for help. Do they make it on time? Can the others be saved? I guess you are just going to have to watch and find out. Many of us will have to wait for our local video stores for this little treasure; it’s going to be in limited release only.
This sucks, here we finally get, what appears to be, a fairly kick ass western with Brad Pitt and it’s only releasing in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto and Austin to start; the rest of us who lives in the world of “want to see a damn film”, have to wait. Honestly that shit really rubs me the wrong way; what, we got to let the persnickety people see it first cause they be smarter than us? Once they can give it their thumbs up, us backwoods hillbilly folk can see it? Anyhow, the film has an all star cast with Brad Pitt as non-other than Jesse James, Casey Affleck, Sam Shepard, Mary-Louise Parker, Paul Schneider, Jeremy Renner, Zooey Deschanel and Sam Rockwell, plus director and screenwriter Andrew Dominik. Here we get to see the inside workings to Jesse and what part Robert Ford played in his life and death. Was Jesse a Robin Hood of sorts or just a wild crazy criminal the public put on a pedestal?
Wow, this one sounds like it might be a contender. Into the Wild is based on the bestselling book by Jon Krakauer and both directed and screen wrote by Sean Penn; the cast is nothing to wince at either Emile Hirsch, Vince Vaughn, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Catherine Keener, Kristen Stewart and on and on. A film about a university graduate who gives up his entire savings to date and hitchhikes his way to the Alaskan wilderness where he has planned to live. Along the way meeting some brilliant and very interesting characters that shape and mold his life, as well as leaving a mark on them in return. Looks to be one hell of an adventure.
A group of six friends in California decides to create a Jane Austen Book Club; all six books shall be read and honored. The girls start to sway out and a gentleman finds himself at the table. Love, loss, marriage, sex, divorce and mere life encompass these three friends.
Got to give it to the creators of Resident Evil, they have done a pretty damn good job of keeping up with the cast. Most sequels and on past have all new casts, I like the fact that the final installment still boasts Milla Jovovich, Oded Fehr and others from it’s predecessor. Resident Evil: Extinction starts where the other left off with old survivors and new. Based on the ever so popular video game from back in the day. I would say it’s going to kick a little ass.
Awesome, I adore Amanda Bynes, she one of the few left in her caliber that did not go all crazy cracked out; lost the weight naturally, what ever. Amanda is such a hoot too, she isn’t afraid to put herself out there and really make a goof of things and the audience just laughs. In Sydney White she gets kicked out of her sorority and takes on a group of geeky guys, helping them be themselves and cool all at the same time.
(from the site) In a coffee shop in a tight-knit Oregon community, local professor Harry Stevenson (Academy Award® winner Morgan Freeman) witnesses love and attraction whipping up mischief among the town’s residents. From the unlucky in love, die-hard romantic coffee shop owner Bradley (Academy Award® nominee Greg Kinnear) who has a serial habit of looking for love in all the wrong places, including with his current wife Kathryn (Selma Blair); to the edgy real estate agent Diana (Radha Mitchell) who is caught up in an affair with a married man (Billy Burke) with whom she shares an ineffable connection; to the beautiful young newcomer Chloe (Alexa Davalos) who defies fate in romancing the troubled Oscar (Toby Hemingway); to Harry himself, whose adoring wife (Jane Alexander) is looking to break through his wall of grief after the wrenching loss of a beloved… they all intertwine into one remarkable story in which no one can escape being bent, broken, befuddled, delighted and ultimately redeemed by love’s inescapable spell.
Hey Rock, eat a damn sandwich, for that matter buy yourself a donut factory and have at it, you have lost too much weight. The Game Plan focuses on a stud football star finding out he has an illegitimate daughter who needs a father figure. How can he balance ballet and a superstar career?
This is a certain hit, with an all-star cast and a dramatic storyline, I’m sure Kingdom will find itself on the “to be considered” list. Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner group together to bring you the story of terrorism, bombs, loss of innocent lives and being stuck in a country thoughts not so forgiving to American soiling their grounds.
Hurray Wes Anderson (The Royal Tenenbaums, Rushmore, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Bottle Rocket) is at it again with an awesome cast and crew of Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman and Anjelica Huston. No doubt The Darjeeling Limited is full of little weird intricacies and odd moments, all about Wes Anderson’s style.
Jennifer Lopez produces a shocker, bunnies and bonnets and all that jazz…NOT. Of course she produces a hip-hop film with a struggle to the top with drugs and guns and street gangs all included. What a shock, hey, haven’t seen this one done before.
(from the site) Single and indecisive, Eddie (Ben Stiller) begins dating the incredibly sexy and seemingly fabulous Lila. Upon the urging of his father and best friend, Eddie proposes to her after only a week, fearing this may be his last chance at love, marriage, and happiness.
However, while on their honeymoon in sunny Mexico, Lila reveals her true beyond-awful nature and Eddie meets Miranda, the woman he realizes to be his actual soul mate. Eddie must keep his new, increasingly horrid wife at bay as he attempts to woo the girl of his dreams.
Michael Clayton (George Clooney) is a “cleaner” for one of the largest corporate law firms in New York. And the story goes on from there, no doubt a serious drama and a complete neck breaker, but it’s one of those yayayayaya films. You know, bad guy, good guy, bad guy wants to turn into good guy, but has an identity problem and an unforeseen force that keeps him being such an asshole.
Well is she or isn’t she the next Jackson Pollock? Maria Olmstead, only 4, becomes a mega artist/star, but are they her painting or are they dear old dad’s?
Based on the novel by Susan Cooper, “The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising” is the first of “The Dark Is Rising” sequence. The film takes the audience on an adventure with Will Stanton leading they way. Will is the last of the seekers and must travel back and forth through time to save the world from the Dark.
(from the site) Berkeley is the story of Ben Sweet (Nick Roth), an eighteen-year-old middleclass boy who comes to UC Berkeley in 1968 to study accounting and avoid the draft. There begins an odyssey through sex, drugs, rock and roll, and political activism, which turns his conservative world upside down, and leaves him on a path of exploration and self-discovery, far from the life of his father, Sy (Henry Winkler).
This is great, I loved the first film, Elizabeth, and now Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush are back to give us The Golden Age. Let us not leave out newbie’s to the film the ever so sexy Clive Owen and hot to trot Samantha Morton. Elizabeth: The Golden Age promises to be as well received as its predecessor. Scenery and costuming looks to be spectacular.
(from site) Badki and Chutki live a fun-filled life in Banaras, playing pranks, sneaking off to see a forbidden mujra, and soaking up all the excitement that goes on the ghats of the Ganga. Badki is aware that the family is in dire straits, but she and her mother protect Chutki at all costs. When things get worse, Badki decides to go to Mumbai and seek a living for the family. Alone and unsupported in the midst of the urban jungle of Mumbai, Badki battles with dark forces, keeping her focus on her purpose to support her family and continue Chutki’s education. She deliberately morphs into someone else, leading a secret life full of murky compromises. When Chutki comes to Mumbai to work, things take a dramatic turn. Badki’s life turns into a minefield, as she has to hide her secrets from Chutki. Chutki finds success at work, and love that delights her heart. Badki finds the magic of love, but lets it slip away before it can blossom, as she believes it’s not in her destiny. She battles menace and blackmail alone, not letting these dark shadows fall on Chutki or her family. But her dual life is revealed, and the two sisters are face to face, in a confrontation neither had expected. And when love beckons Badki again, the whole family is thrown in a tumultuous storm. Everything threatens to explode in their faces, destroying all of them.
(from the site) Bobby Green (Joaquin Phoenix) has turned his back on the family business. The popular manager of El Caribe, the legendary Russian-owned nightclub in Brooklyn’s Brighton Beach, he has changed his last name and concealed his connection to a long line of distinguished New York cops. For Bobby, every night is a party, as he greets friends and customers or dances with his beautiful Puerto Rican girlfriend, Amada (Eva Mendes), in a haze of cigarette smoke and disco music.
But it’s 1988, and New York City’s drug trade is escalating. Bobby tries to keep a friendly distance from the Russian gangster who is operating out of the nightclub – a gangster who is being targeted by his brother, Joseph (Mark Wahlberg), an up-and-coming NYPD officer, and his father, Burt (Robert Duvall), the legendary deputy chief of police.
It’s a vampire feast, buffet anyone? In Barrow, Alaska the sun disappears for 30 days and it’s only darkness left. Most of the population heads south to last the darkness out, but the few left behind are but only a snack for a new group of inhabitants. Starring Josh Hartnett and Melissa George, looking forward to a little scariness.
Interesting, Ben Affleck not only directed, but screen wrote Gone Baby Gone. I’m hoping it’s a damn good film considering it’s based on the novel by Dennis Lehane (“Mystic River”) and we all know how awesome Mystic River was.
Star packed intrigue with Reese Witherspoon, Jake Gyllenhaal, Meryl Streep, Peter Sarsgaard and Alan Arkin. A story of a missing husband and a wife doing all she can to track him down. CIA analyst starts to think things aren’t all cool with the types of interrogation performed on prisoners.
I’m not sure about this one. O-yah Simon Pegg and hank Azaria are absolutely hilarious actors and can really pull of some funny stuff, but David Schwimmer as a director? Looks like it’s based roughly off of the Runaway Bride, except it’s the Runaway Groom.
Gives us a break, isn’t it time to give up this sick and twisted serious? People stop paying money to go see sick crap; maybe they would quit producing 2 a year.
One word…interesting. Creepy little film based on the true story about the cult that took over a town in Arizona.
Wow, all this and we are not even into November yet and we still have December and January to go. Keep an eye out tomorrow and Thursday for part 2 and 3 to the big kahuna movie preview.
Who would have thought? After I watched the trailer and headed to my little seat in the grand theater, I expected to have my funny bone tickled all night long, instead all I got was life. Think about the story, here is a boy (young adult) who has a stuttering problem. He’s hit on by the chief hottie from the school’s debate team and ultimately recruited to be her debate partner. Of course, he’s not looking to debate more than he is looking for love, the young experimental puppy love, that is. His brother is whacked, his mom is whacked, his neighbor is whacked, his dad is bored and his only friend tried the Kama Sutra on the family dog and killed it; this film should be an outright riot. Life and the shit that happens along the way is funny, but somehow Rocket Science made it depressing and, at times, a little boring. A few highlights that I must note would be a killer soundtrack and at least Hollywood didn’t get the opportunity to bastardize it; you got it folks, there is no special happy ending here.
Rocket Science
2 & 1/2 Stars
I’ve got to give the film credit, it’s a fresh approach to what so many would expect to see the underdog rise to the top and conquer the evil bitch at the end, but he doesn’t and ultimately comes nowhere close to winning. Newcomer, Reece Daniel Thompson, is brilliant in his stuttering struggling teen role; he keeps up the dialogue and character 100% never letting the audience down. It’s quite wonderful that there are absolutely no “beautiful” bobble-heads in this film, the talent all look like real life people who have been around the block a few times or so green that they just stepped out of their training pants. A few humorous moments do appear from time to time, but not a laugh-out-loud type of humor, but more a “damn, I could see myself doing that” kind of humor. The storyline meshes fairly well and the music blends right in with every scene. It’s a film that many can relate to, whether or not you’ve ever stuttered, certainly many of us have experienced some form of utter humiliation in high school; mine was high waters.
Rocket Science…Great Soundtrack.
Partially based on real life experiences, Rocket Science brings a spark of life to the teen indie circuit. The director, Jeffrey Blitz (Spellbound), shows a great deal of compassion and interest through the characters and finished product of Rocket Science. A teen, Hal Hefner (Reece Thompson) is approached by a very beautiful debate captain, Ginny Ryerson (Anna Kendrick), and asked to join her team. Hal, baffled by her straightforward approach and cold direction towards his handicap, stuttering, finally decides what the hell and joins up. At the same time, his brother, Earl Hefner (Vincent Piazza), has become a thief, but he’s a thief with a plan and a constant desire to show his brotherly love and taunt Hal on a regular bases. The boys’ mom and dad had recently separated and started to date, leaving the boys to their own dysfunctional relationship with life. Living with their mother, they get to experience the nasty freak out sex that their mother and next door neighbor, Judge Pete (Steve Park), have on a regular bases and deal with Judge Pete’s, possibly gay and not all there in the head, son, Heston (Aaron Yoo). Back to the studying and practicing for the big debate; Ginny, leading Hal around by his teenage male fantasies, bails at the last minute leaving Hal to defend for himself and utterly ruined. The stalking begins, he starts to hang out at the house across the street from Ginny’s, here he meets Lewis Garrles (Josh Kay) a younger comrade in awe who runs around in women’s bras and practicing the Kama Sutra on anything that will hold still. Better yet, Lewis parents are going through couples music therapy to fix their relationship, that’s a nice touch with the cello and piano, a better touch when Hal gets wasted and throws the cello through Ginny’s front window, after tossing it up there multiple failed times. Finally Hal decides to get even with the coldhearted bitch and finds her archenemy, Ben Wekselbaum (Nicholas D’Agosto), known better as the god of debate. In the beginning of the film Ben and Ginny were mere sentences away from being national debate champions, when Ben went silent and started to grin. He had decided that he was tired of debating, dropped out of school and began working in a dry cleaning store; he thought that was the true meaning of life. Hal hunted Ben down and convinced him to return for one last debate, to help him show Ginny what for. When they arrived to the debate as a home-schooled team, the duo was found out and kicked out of the competition for not truly being home schooled. Hal finally got up the nerve to go confront Ginny and tell her that he may have failed to exact revenge this time, he might have had an off day, but it wouldn’t always be that way and just she watch out when he has an on day. The film ended with Hal ordering pizza on the boardwalk and asking his father for a bit of advice, of course, his father was way too tired to oblige and referenced to just giving up and accepting life as it is.
Wasn’t that a depressing ending, but then again it’s nice not to see your typical boy is a weird gooey freak and no girl wants to lay him and then boy gets all better and strong and gets the chic in the end. Rocket Science might be a tad slow in places, but isn’t life that way? It might have had a more realistic happy ending and didn’t match up to what the trailer (or a few critic’s quotes) eludes to, but overall it was a pleasant surprise and got a few giggles out of me. The actors did a damn fine job and the director certainly added his heart and passion to every scene; nice job, I think I’m going to change my rating from a 2 to a 2.5. (I’m like just a smidge away from a 3)
Part 2 of the “Bourne Trilogy”, Bourne Supremacy, brings us to Marie and Jason hiding out under new identities. Jason is having regular nightmares and keeps a journal under Marie’s tutorage to find out whom he is and what happened in his past that got him where he is at now. He is finished with being a CIA assassin and had warned the agency’s flunkies to not come after him or they would be sorry.
Guess who shows up at his front door, that’s right an assassin coming to frame him for a whole new conspiracy. In the mix of running and trying to elude the murderer, Marie is killed and Jason heads out on a vow of vengeance. Stopping every ruined and corrupt CIA operative and those who follow, Jason ducks in and out of the shadows and attacks like a stealthy predator. While on his revenge trip, he keeps up with the dreams and remembering his past, coming to realize some truth to what had happened, he confront his demons. Never finding out till the end what his true name is, Jason is still in disbelief if it’s the truth.
“I can tell you the license plate numbers of all six cars outside. I can tell you that our waitress is left handed and the guy up at the counter weighs 215 lbs. and knows how to handle himself. I know the best place to look for a gun is the cab of the gray truck outside, and at this altitude I can run flat out for a half-mile before my hands start shaking. Now why would I know that? How can I know that and not know who I am?”
The Bourne Identity starts out with a bang, or rather a splash. Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is found a drift in the Mediterranean Sea with only 2 bullet wounds and an implant with a Swiss bank account number. Jason awakes a little off kilter not sure of his surroundings or his own identity. When the ship comes ashore the doc gives him a few bucks and a warm coat then sends him along his confused and amnesiac way. Bourne heads to Zurich to find out what is in the safe-deposit box, is it his identity? Nope, there are multiple passports, a gun and plenty of money in different currencies. At this point he doesn’t know where to turn, until he is forced to run being chased by a secret ops agency that claims to have trained Bourne and know his true identity. Using fighting skills he didn’t know he had, Bourne works his way through the streets of Zurich only to be cornered and offering $20,000 for a ride to Paris with the lovely Marie (Franka Potente). Reluctant at first, Marie turns him down, but realizes she could really use the cash and accepts the offer. Waking in Paris with an uneasy feeling Marie ends up caught up in the search for Bourne’s identity and his heart. The two duck and hide escaping one assassin after another searching for the answer.
Part 2 of the “Bourne Trilogy”, Bourne Supremacy, brings us to Marie and Jason hiding out under new identities. Jason is having regular nightmares and keeps a journal under Marie’s tutorage to find out whom he is and what happened in his past that got him where he is at now. He is finished with being a CIA assassin and had warned the agency’s flunkies to not come after him or they would be sorry. 
The Bourne Identity starts out with a bang, or rather a splash. Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is found a drift in the Mediterranean Sea with only 2 bullet wounds and an implant with a Swiss bank account number. Jason awakes a little off kilter not sure of his surroundings or his own identity. When the ship comes ashore the doc gives him a few bucks and a warm coat then sends him along his confused and amnesiac way. Bourne heads to Zurich to find out what is in the safe-deposit box, is it his identity? Nope, there are multiple passports, a gun and plenty of money in different currencies. At this point he doesn’t know where to turn, until he is forced to run being chased by a secret ops agency that claims to have trained Bourne and know his true identity. Using fighting skills he didn’t know he had, Bourne works his way through the streets of Zurich only to be cornered and offering $20,000 for a ride to Paris with the lovely Marie (Franka Potente). Reluctant at first, Marie turns him down, but realizes she could really use the cash and accepts the offer. Waking in Paris with an uneasy feeling Marie ends up caught up in the search for Bourne’s identity and his heart. The two duck and hide escaping one assassin after another searching for the answer.