duibe Reviews

The Hamburg Cell (2004 TV Movie)

Well-Directed, But Unclear

[11 January 2005]

As I began watching this film on HBO, I started to feel uneasy because all the trademarks of a TV Movie-of-the-week began to manifest- boring cinematography, unrefined performances, contrived momentum, etc. However, as the film progressed, I was drawn into certain story angles, and the plight of some of the lead characters became engrossing. Kamel's understated performance as Atta, as well as the two young leads playing husband and wife, kept me interested. The film gradually grinded into thriller territory, and the final moments were admittedly chilling and well-constructed by director Antonia Bird. However, what was most lacking from this film were the PSYCHOLOGICAL motivations of the characters. A story of such grand scope is difficult to tell in detail, as one can assume, but the most important elements driving these characters- the disgust and anger towards American foreign policy- seemed left out of this film. It seemed "hinted at" in certain scenes, but the screenplay never fully explored the burning hatred from the inside. It was still unclear to me why the once-agnostic Lebanese medical student allowed himself to be so easily roped in by the cell's extremist philosophies. Had the screenplay explored this in more detail, this film would be what it should have been- a tragic portrait of manifested hatred among young, misguided Islamic jihadists.

Troll 2 (1990)

A Brilliant Motion Picture

[3 October 2003]

In 1990, two great films were released in the United States, "Dances With Wolves" and the spellbinding "Troll 2". Few films can come close to Troll 2, especially within the realm of direction, acting, plot, and cinematography. This wonderful motion picture combines the dark, surrealistic elements of grand guignol and infuses them perfectly with subtle camp. The performances of the two young leads may be compared to that of Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn in African Queen, yet never has a horror film seen such brilliantly realized characters. I felt every minute of their fear and pain. Never has such an amazing screenplay been committed to celluloid. The reference to Nilbog, the mystical town hidden among the dark, ominous Utah canyons, symbolizes the shroud of mystery lingering over West Germany just before the Berlin Wall fell. -SPOILER ALERT- And when it is revealed that Nilbog spelled backwards is "goblin," -END SPOILERS- everything comes together perfectly and the plot unspools as devilishly as in another brilliant feature, The Usual Suspects. I suppose few have seen this wonderful gem, as it suffered a fantastically limited release (1 theatre), but I suggest to go see it when they release the fifteenth anniversary edition nationwide in 2005. One of the finest, most heartfelt motion pictures I have ever had the pleasure to view, Troll 2 is highly recommended. Invite all of your friends over to screen this film in the comfort of your living room, and tell them I thought it was a masterpiece.

Unbreakable (2000)

Unwatchable

[1/10 · 15 May 2003]

A terrible film in almost every respect, Shyamalan has crafted an utterly unwatchable movie. With great packaging and an intriguing premise, this stinker lured unsuspecting audiences into theatres in 2000. However, within the first fifteen minutes, audible groans echoed throughout the theater. Half the audience remained at the final reel. This picture really sucks. Bruce Willis' lethargic performance is boring to watch, and the supporting cast, including Samuel Jackson, struggle through the meandering, directionless script. The film moves at a sluggish pace, which is fine within Shyamalan's noirish mise en'scene, but the script is downright awful, therefore it's pacing is unjustifed. An example- when Willis' kid tests his father's invincibility by pointing a weapon at him. This scene is ridiculously awful and carelessly directed. It was totally unconvincing and over-the-top. I've seen more fully realized scenes in student films. Or how about the "shocking climax?" I can't believe it took two hours of such utter nonsense to build up to this weak, uneven revelation. It was particularly sad because Shyamalan obviously set everything up for a sequel, but when audiences saw this turd, plans were scrapped by the studio. Yes, I don't think "Unbreakable II" will ever see the light of day, thank God. So if you feel like wasting two hours of your time on a Sunday afternoon..... still avoid this movie; watch something more appetizing, like "Signs" or "Die Hard."

Donnie Darko (2001)

Hallucinogenic... Hypnotic... Harvey?

[9/10 · 29 March 2003]

Possibly one of the strangest films of 2001, Donnie Darko is an intriguing bag of goodies. Basically, paranoid schizophrenia affects the mind of a late-'80's suburban teenager, who falls victim to the hallucinogenic effects of prescription narcotics, and he befriends a mangled bunny who tells him the world will end on a specific date, so he researches time travel from a local author who has lost her mind, and eventually he realizes the world's end can be avoided by large Abyss-like bubbles which ooze from peoples' chests at random and cause them to travel back in time, yet unfortunately his death, avoided in one continuum, will reveal itself in the other. That makes for an interesting two hours. The film is charming, funny, and decidedly offbeat, and moves at a laid-back, 'suburban' kind of pace. Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal are both great as bro and sis, and Mary McDonnell is fantastic as always. The direction and writing are both commendable, setting up a doomed atmosphere which sucks us in but keeps us entertained. However, the only flaw to this film is the casting of Drew Barrymore in a totally unnecessary role as the English teacher. She is absolutely dreadful here, and the only reason she was cast is because she is one of the film's producers and helped get it made. I commend her for that, but why did she have to force the screenwriter to write her in? That's a ridiculous abuse of power, and her irrelevant scenes represent this film's sole weakness. However, this movie still earns a high recommendation- 3&1/2 stars. It was refreshing to see a film set in the eighties that didn't exploit it's period with bad clothes, music etc.- a'la Wedding Singer- rather, I thought the soundtrack was ingeniously contrived- Echo & the Bunnymen's "The Killing Moon" starts off the film wonderfully.... Check this little gem out when you get a chance.

The Mudge Boy (2003)

Simple But Brilliant

[10/10 · 13 March 2003]

The Mudge Boy represents some of the finest cinema to come out of Sundance in 2003. The story moves at a leisurely pace but excels in character development and dialogue. Burke revels in his setting- a rural, emotional wasteland painted with eerily quiet, majestic landscapes which idly conflict with the title character's introversion and despair. Emile Hirsch affects a delicately nuanced, charismatic performance as the title character, struggling with the death of his beloved mother. Richard Jenkins demands every speck of attention possible while he's on screen; it's a pure delight to watch this fine actor work. I usually don't pick out smaller performances, but Zachary Knighton as the chief bully's "sidekick," Travis, is superbly threatening and commands the screen, as well. His performance is staggeringly three-dimensional and defies every cliche of "teenage bully" portrayals ever committed to celluloid. There's a big future for this guy. Overall, this film deserves to be seen by anyone who appreciates uncliched, moving drama filled with wonderful performances.