Super Size Me (2004)

"There is a big, nappy hair in my sundae.", 10 April 2009

Super Size Me is the hugely successful documentary that follows Morgan Spurlock, a healthy 32 year-old filmmaker, as he goes on a month long diet consisting of nothing but food from McDonald's. If McDonald's doesn't sell it, he's not eating it. He's also set a goal of limiting his exercise to 5,000 steps per day. According to the movie this is the average amount walked by most Americans. The results: a 24.5 pound weight gain, increased cholesterol, liver damage, and, if you believe Spurlock and his girlfriend, depression and a decreased sex drive. If you believe the results the film presents, it's quite eye-opening.

After having watched Super Size Me for the first time, my initial reaction is that while it's a reasonably entertaining way to spend an hour and a half, the logic and methodology are so flawed that it's difficult for me to take it too seriously. To begin with, who eats at McDonald's three meals a day? And why go for the Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese for your first meal? And do you really need to add a shake to every order? I'm not defending McDonald's at all – their food is some of the most unhealthy junk you can find. But if you're going to go into an experiment and eat like Spurlock does, the results are predictable. The most shocking thing to me about the outcome is how shocked his doctors appear. Spurlock set out to prove something and did everything in his power to make sure he got the outcome he desired. Otherwise his movie and efforts would have been a failure. In the end, I don't care what diet you're on or where you get your food, if you consume an average of 5,000 calories a day and limit your exercise, you're going to gain weight and do damage to your body. Is that really surprising?

As for Spurlock's claims of depression and a reduced sex drive, they're just that – claims. There's no empirical data to support these claims. They sound good, but can't be scientifically documented. Again, I'm no supporter of McDonald's, but if you're going to bash the company, you're going to need a little more "evidence' than this.

Even though I have problems with Super Size Me, it has made me re-think some of my own food choices – and not just for myself, but for my child as well. We still eat at McDonald's, but try to make smarter choices. So I suppose that on some level I have to admit that the movie worked on me. I guess a rating of 5/10 would be about right.

5/10

House of Flying Daggers (2004)

- Shi mian mai fu
"Just call me Wind.", 13 July 2008

Sometimes after watching a movie, I'm at a complete loss for words. Sometimes there's just so much I want to write that I'm afraid to even attempt it for fear of leaving things out or not expressing my thoughts as clearly as I would like. That's the case with House of Flying Daggers. The movie is so . . . well, the movie is so perfect that I doubt I could ever do it justice. To say I was overwhelmed by the movie's plot, acting, and direction would be a gross understatement. The plot drew me in from the word "go". All of the many twists and turns worked flawlessly on me. I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. As for the acting, all three of the main actors were perfect in their roles. It's hard to pick a favorite between Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau, and Ziyi Zhang – though I suppose Ziyi Zhang as the blind warrior was the most impressive. This is the first movie by director Yimou Zhang that I've seen, but it won't be the last. Not only does he keep things flowing at a wonderful pace, but he's made a movie that has to be one of the most beautiful works of art I've ever seen. I would love to freeze and print almost every frame of House of Flying Daggers to hang on my walls. Stunning is the word that comes to mind.

I'll end here realizing that I'm leaving a lot out like a plot description (I wouldn't want to ruin a second for someone else). To sum it all up, House of Flying Daggers is easily one of the very best movies I've ever seen. A 10/10 isn't good enough for it.

10/10

Malevolence (2004)

A wishy-washy 5/10, 6 May 2007

A mother and daughter, coming home from a softball game, decide to stop for ice cream. Their plans change when a bank robber on the run kidnaps them and forces the mother to drive him to an abandoned house his gang is using as a meeting place. What the would-be criminals don't know is that their hideout is just over the hill from an abandoned slaughterhouse that's home to a crazed, psychopathic killer. Guilty or innocent, it doesn't really matter to this hooded killer – he wants 'em all dead!

I've seen several reviews that use the word "derivative" when describing Malevolence. In fact, the director, Stevan Mena, uses it himself in one of the special features on the DVD. I cannot think of a better word. Malevolence is derivative of every slasher that came before it. There's very little originality in much of what's presented on screen. Take the music. I don't see how anyone could listen to Malevolence's soundtrack and not be immediately reminded of Halloween. Even the music cues are the same. I realize that when you're working with something as tired as a slasher, it's got to be hard to come up with a movie full of original ideas, but I'm not sure Mena even tried.

But I've got to give Mena and Malevolence credit for a few things. First, there's the plot. I do appreciate the fact that Mena tried to do something rather unique and shift gears about 30 minutes into the movie. On the DVD, he claims to have been inspired by Hitchcock's Psycho. Whatever, it was an interesting move on his part. Second, I really like the authentic locations Mena chose for Malevolence. There's nothing like a real, old, crumbling slaughterhouse as a setting for your slasher. The location does give the film some atmosphere and a very creepy look. Finally, I like the way Mena has us as an audience rooting for the bad guys. Mena manipulates the audience to actively cheer for the characters who are essentially the bad guys in the first act of the movie. Sure, bank robbers and kidnappers aren't the kind of people I want to invite over for dinner, but I'll take them over a mindless killer any day.

In the end, I can't really call Malevolence good, but I've certainly seen much worse. I appreciate some of the ideas Mena had for his film, but overall it lacks originality in its execution. However, I would be interested in seeing what Mena does next.

5/10

The Day After Tomorrow (2004)

"Always something to eat in the garbage!", 1 August 2006

What an annoying movie! The Day After Tomorrow is filled with every disaster movie cliché in the book. Why does there have to be a child with cancer who is too ill to move as the impending doom threatens? Why is it necessary to have people fall in love during the middle of a crisis? Why should we care about characters that are only on screen for a few minutes before they die? Why does the homeless guy know more about what's going on than most anyone else? Why did the parents in the movie have to be estranged, only to resolve their differences as the disaster strikes? Why does the Dick Cheney look-alike Vice-President, the most prominent government official, have to be such a narrow minded character? If you've seen on disaster movie, you've no doubt run into a few of these examples of the lack of originality found in The Day After Tomorrow. Most every event and character reaction to those events can be predicted with incredible accuracy.

On top of the clichés, plot points are handled in such heavy-handed fashion. Director Roland Emmerich will suddenly show scenes and events that are totally unrelated to anything that is going on. You just know the minute you discover that the wolves have escaped from the zoo that they'll inevitably come back to create an even more dangerous situation for the people in the movie. Why else would the scene of a couple of zookeepers discovering the empty cages be included in the movie? And you know the minute that one of the characters gets hurt trying to save someone that her injury will come back to haunt her. Why else would we get a quick glimpse of her bleeding underwater? As a viewer, you're literally beat over the head with these plot points in an incredibly ham-fisted manner. As I said earlier, it's all so annoying.

I suppose that if you're into CGI you might find a thing or two to enjoy. The special effects are, for the most part, well done. But the special effects completely dominate everything else. It's CGI overload. Why even bother with actors? The actors don't act in The Day After Tomorrow. They spend their time reacting to special effects that were generated long after they were finished with the movie. Once again, it's annoying.

Finally, did anyone ever think for a moment that the people trapped in the library were in any real danger? If you thought for a second that Jake Gyllenhaal or Emmy Rossum's characters were in any real danger, you've apparently never seen a movie before. Why should I care about these two character (or anyone else for that matter) when you can spot who's going to live and who's going to die 10 minutes into the movie? For the last time, it's annoying.

I'll stop here as there are really so many other annoying facets of the movie I could cover that I could write pages. I haven't scratched the surface. I've already spent more time than I should have writing about The Day After Tomorrow.

3/10

House of Voices (2004)

- Saint Ange
If nothing else, I would call House of Voices an ambitious film., 24 June 2006

A young woman named Anna (Virginie Ledoyan) is hired to help clean an abandoned orphanage, Saint Ange, after a series of accidents forces its closure. Anna has been forced to leave her previous job after her employer raped her and left her pregnant – something she desperately wants to hide. She's not completely alone at Saint Ange as the cook (Dorina Lazar) is still around to help Anna and to care for the one remaining orphan, a disturbed older girl named Judith (Lou Doillon). Before long, Anna begins to experience some unusual things in the house including mysterious noises, voices, and footsteps. With Judith's help, Anna begins to investigate the giant house and its history. The cook claims to have noticed nothing and questions Anna's sanity. Is Anna mad or does the house have secrets to hide?

If nothing else, I would call House of Voices an ambitious film. I got the distinct impression that the director, Pascal Laugier, was attempting to bring back some of the style of the 1970s Euro-horror films to a modern audience. The film has much of the look and feel you would find in some of the best classic Italian horror films. Many of the camera shots are reminiscent of something you might find in an Argento or Fulci film. Laugier went so far as to cast Catriona MacColl, best known to me from her roles in three of Fulci's zombie films, as the headmistress of the orphanage. If Laugier was actually going for something akin to the films I've mentioned, then he succeeded. I noticed it straightaway.

House of Voices is a very slow moving and very atmospheric film. Laugier takes his time telling his story and the movie benefits from it. If you're looking for a thrill-a-minute, stay away. But if you enjoy leisurely paced films where the horror is more subtle than in your face, you'll appreciate Laugier's efforts. As for atmospheric, there are moments in the film where the atmosphere is so thick you can all but cut it with a knife. There's a real sense of foreboding throughout the huge house. The feeling that Anna is in real danger is inescapable. It's one of the films real highlights.

The acting in House of Voices is quite good. I was extremely impressed with Virginie Ledoyan. She brought real believability to her role. I could feel the fear and pain she was going through. I don't think I've seen her in anything before, but I'll keep an eye out for her in the future. The supporting cast is equally good and enjoyable. I've got no complaints as far as the acting is concerned.

Unfortunately, there are some real problems with House of Voices that keep it from being a great film. Chief among them is the screenplay. It's so utterly confusing that it almost feels purposeful to make House of Voices seem deeper and full of hidden meaning that's really not there. I don't mind a film that makes you think, but there are too many loose ends and plot points that make no sense. Who killed the kittens? What was in that box Anna found hidden in the wall? What really happened in the orphanage years previous? Was I right when I said Anna was raped by her previous employer? I can make educated guesses, but there are too many of these nagging questions left unanswered at the films end. A script that actually explains a few of the major plot points would have made House of Voices a real winner.

7/10

Dawn of the Dead (2004)

"OK, I have an idea. We draw straws and the loser runs across the lot with a ham sandwich.", 13 May 2006

I actually enjoyed Dawn of the Dead more than I thought I would. Not being the biggest fan in the world of the original, I found very little appealing about the thought of watching a remake. While my rating certainly doesn't indicate I thought it was a masterpiece, as a mindless action film, there's plenty to enjoy. Mindless? Shooting zombie after zombie in the head isn't what I would call thought provoking. But the scenes like the one in the sewers where our heroes are being chased by zombies sure is a lot of fun. However, as a horror movie, Dawn of the Dead is a failure. There appears to have been no attempt to create any atmosphere. Other than the scene in the parking garage, I never go that uneasy feeling horror usually produces. The horror that is there is too obvious and lacks subtlety that I find necessary for it to be really effective. Also, as there isn't really much of an attempt to flesh out the characters, it's difficult to care about the predicament they find themselves in.

I've read any number of internet posts on what seems to be an endless debate about fast zombies vs. slow zombies. I actually see advantages and disadvantages to both. I find a slow moving zombie lurking in the shadows to be a far more frightening visage than the Carl Lewis style zombie. On the other hand, the fast moving zombies seem to present more of threat and work better in action sequences. Push come to shove, I suppose I would come down on the side of the slow zombies. The undead in Romero's Night of the Living Dead or Fulci's Zombi 2 work better for me because of their inherent creepiness.

6/10

My Name Is Modesty: A Modesty Blaise Adventure (2004)

Not what I was hoping for, 14 April 2006

My Name is Modesty is a low-budget film that tells the story of the origins of Modesty Blaise. It's not that the movie is terrible, it's just not what I was expecting or hoping for. While I've been aware of the Modesty Blaise character for years, I'm not overly familiar with the comic strips or the graphic novels, so I'm coming into this movie as something as an outsider. That may be part of the reason for my disappointment. I was expecting more action and more comedy. The film is dialogue driven. I suppose I was looking for something with a little more camp value. As it is, My Name is Modesty is a deathly serious film. There are very few, if any, "light" moments. The acting, at least from Alexandra Staden, is acceptable but nothing outstanding. As others have commented, she does appear a little too frail to be completely believable in the title role. What action scenes there are in My Name is Modesty are one of the films weakest points. I never bought into the notion that this woman could handle a band of trained killers.

I really hope Quentin Tarantino goes ahead and makes the rumored a big budget film based on the Modesty Blaise character. I'm convinced the concept has a lot of potential and I would very much look forward to it.

4/10

Saw (2004)

"This is the most fun I've had without lubricant.", 7 April 2006

There has been so much written on Saw since its release in 2004 that I doubt there's much left to be said. Therefore, I'll limit this to just a couple of comments. It may not be the best "new" horror film I've seen, but it certainly beats a lot of the post-Scream films that glutted the market in recent years. Saw features something sadly lacking from a lot of modern horror – actual dialogue. Too many of the recent horror movies rely so heavily on larger-than-life CGI effects that dialogue is often an afterthought. It was a welcome change to see a film where characters have actual verbal interaction with one another. Even though the movie is heavily dependent on two characters speaking to each other, there are still enough gruesome scenes to spice things up. They are shocking in their nature and difficult to watch in their viciousness. These scenes are very well done.

My biggest complaint (and I'll try not to reveal too much and spoil the film as it was spoiled for me) is the big twist at the end. I just don't see how it's possible for "that" to have occurred. It doesn't seem feasible to me given the time frame of the events in Saw.

5/10

Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004)

Where is the real Scooby Doo?, 24 March 2006

I realize that Scooby Doo 2 is basically a kids' movie. I realize that I am long past the target audience's age. And, I realize that it's a sequel to a movie I didn't care for. However, I grew up a fan of the original Scooby Doo cartoon. I was 6 years-old when the cartoon originally aired and I have fond memories of those Saturday mornings. The people responsible for making these movies have taken most of what made that show good and thrown it out the window. The ghosts and monsters weren't real. There was always a rational explanation behind everything that went on. Part of the fun was trying to wrap my 6 year-old brain around how the bad guys were doing their evil deeds. But a movie based in anything approaching reality wouldn't work as a big, over-bloated, CGI mess like Scooby Doo 2. It's unreal, it's loud, and it leaves nothing to the imagination. The film consistently makes fun of itself in that I'm-smarter-than-you, self-referential way that I find so annoying. It's a shame to me that young kids today will not grow-up understanding the charm of the original Scooby Doo.

3/10

The Stepford Wives (2004)

"Oh, I feel like Nancy Drew in the mystery of the mid-life crisis.", 27 February 2006

What a mess! The remake of The Stepford Wives takes everything that made the original such a good movie and throws it all away. Instead, the movie goes for comedy and generally misses its mark at every opportunity. I'll admit that I did find myself smiling and almost laughing at a couple of scenes, but they are too few and too far between. And when the funniest bit in the movie is a 10 second Christmas sing-a-long, you can probably get an idea of how lame I found most of the comedy.

But the biggest problem I see is a lack of any sort of realism. I understand that with comedy it's often necessary to stretch believability. But The Stepford Wives attempts to inject realism by also being a drama, a thriller, and a sci-fi movie. It's none of these. There's no drama when the movies main plot point is beaten to death within the first 15 minutes of the movie. The mystery of Stepford in this remake doesn't exist. As for being a thriller, The Stepford Wives is the kind of movie that all along you just know everything will be fine in the end. What kind of thriller doesn't at least make you think someone may be in danger? Finally, most of the sci-fi elements are presented in cartoon format. How can you take that seriously?

In the end, other than a very few moments of comedy, this thing is a stinker.

4/10

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004)

Can you have too much Sponge Bob?, 12 November 2005

I've always enjoyed watching Sponge Bob when I get a chance. I wouldn't say that I've ever gone out of my way to catch an episode, but if it's on and I don't have anything else to do, I'll watch. But there is a limit to how much Sponge Bob I can endure at any one time. Trying to stretch Sponge Bob into a feature length movie just doesn't work all that well. Sure, there are a few gags here and there that are funny, but the underlying plot holding the thing together isn't involving. It goes on far too long.

I realize that I'm probably not in Sponge Bob's target audience, but it didn't work for my son either. After 45 minutes or so, he was ready to turn it off as well. He left the room and I watched the final part of the movie alone, in silence, without caring much about what happened.

4/10

Van Helsing (2004)

I can't believe some people actually like this stuff, 30 August 2005

Renowned monster hunter Van Helsing is sent to Transylvania to deal with Dracula and his vampire minions. The Catholic Church is worried about protecting its Eastern flank from the spread of evil. But Van Helsing has never faced a creature quite like Dracula. And Dracula proves to be only one of his worries. Van Helsing must also take care of Dracula's vampire brides, a werewolf, and Frankenstein's monster.

What Works:

- Kate Beckinsale. Is there any need to explain why?

What Doesn't Work:

- The Monsters. I'm sure that James Whale is spinning in his grave.

- Hugh Jackman. Can anyone be more dull and lifeless? I really wish the movie hadn't been called Van Helsing because then there might have been a chance his character would die.

- Everything Else. There are so many things wrong with the movie that I really don't know where to begin. I suppose I'll start with the incredible overuse of CGI. Nothing in this movie looks real. As a result, people, animals, and objects all behave in a manner that seems completely inconsistent with any known laws of physics (or at least my very rudimentary understanding of physics). For example, a person simply cannot fall from the heights that the people in Van Helsing do without either becoming severely injured or dying. It's not possible. Yet Van Helsing would have the viewer believe that a person can drop from the height of a two-story building over and over without so much as a scratch. I don't even remember anyone getting their hair messed up – unlike much of this movie.

I want to take this opportunity to apologize to the people who made Freddy vs. Jason. I recently criticized it for being without any redeeming value. Van Helsing is exponentially more ridiculous than Freddy vs. Jason. Why do I keep subjecting myself to this stuff?

2/10

The Card Player (2004)

- Il cartaio
And I had such high hopes for this one, 25 August 2005

A deranged serial killer wants to play a game of internet poker with the police. But the stakes are very high. If the police win, the woman he has kidnapped goes free. If the killer wins, the captive dies. It's up to an Italian policewoman and an Irish agent to stop this high-tech killer before anymore young women die.

What Works:

- Set pieces. I have seen even the most ardent Argento critics admit that the worst of his movies have some nice set pieces. Argento's problem has always been stringing these set pieces together into a coherent story. While I could cite several examples, one set piece in The Card Player that really stands out is the scene where the killer is hiding in the policewoman's house. It's suspenseful and very nicely done.

- Nasty deaths. Although most of the actual scenes of murder take place off screen, we are treated to the nasty aftermath. The scenes of the police poking the murdered bodies in the morgue are as gruesome as you'll see. Especially when one of the bodies "fights" back. Eeeewwww.

- Acting. The two leads (Stefania Rocca and Liam Cunningham) are excellent. Both came across as believable and sometimes that's all you need. Plus, the chemistry between the two was very good. I could actually see the two of them together as a couple. It wasn't forced as is so often the case.

What Doesn't Work:

- Contrived Plot. Too often, The Card Player relies on the most unrealistic coincidences to advance the plot. It's as if the planets line-up just right for the killer to do and get away with the things he does. For example, in one scene, the killer uses a woman to lure a poker expert into a trap. The problem is that the man must follow the woman over what seems like half of Italy until he arrives at just the right spot before the killer springs into action. How does the killer know the poker guy will follow the woman that far? What if he tires of the chase and calls it quits? What if he meets another woman and goes with her? It felt too contrived to me to be believable.

- Acting. As good as the two leads are, much of the rest of the cast is terrible. I don't know if it's more a function of poor dubbing than it is actual acting ability, but the supporting cast doesn't come across very well. Some of the police captain's top assistants are about as convincing as the Three Stooges (not to mention they come across like the Three Stooges).

- The Poker Expert. The police captain's daughter has been kidnapped and could very well be the next victim. The police desperately need a poker expert to increase their odds of winning the game of online poker. Do they turn to a well-known, renowned poker player? Do they turn to a mathematician to assist in determining probabilities in poker? Heck, do they even seek out an someone with half a brain? The answer: No! Instead, the police put the fate of the kidnapped women in the hands of a brainless punk who plays video poker for pocket change.

Argento's The Card Player is a real hit or miss proposal. While Argento again shows his skill with set pieces and is blessed with some good acting, there are too many plot points that don't make much sense or are too far-fetched for me to rate The Card Player any higher.

5/10

Koma (2004)

- Jiu ming
Predictable, but Beautiful, 26 July 2005

Koma starts with a bang - an unknown girl awakens in a tub full of ice. Written on the wall above her head, she reads the words "Call the police or you'll die". As she steps from the tub, there is an obvious pain in her side. When she examines the area with her hand, she discovers that she is bleeding from a 9 inch gash. What's not so obvious is that one of her kidneys has been stolen.

Unfortunately, the movie has trouble maintaining the momentum of the fantastic start. Koma quickly becomes an all too familiar thriller. Plot points and twists become so obvious they slap you in the face. It's too easy to see where the story is headed.

Don't misunderstand, I enjoyed the movie quite a bit. Like several of the other recent Asian films I've seen, Koma is very well made. The cinematography, set design, art direction, and most every other technical aspect is near flawless. And, while much of the story is predictable, I still found a lot of entertainment and I never found myself getting bored. Instead, I was looking forward to what was coming next. But Koma's biggest asset is the cast. The two female leads are exceptional. Both looked and played their parts to perfection. So, I wasn't at all surprised to read that Karena Lam received a Hong Kong Film Award nomination for her work in Koma. I'm just surprised she didn't win.

Finally, Koma taught me a lesson that I've passed on to my wife - If you're going to get into an Axe vs. Scalpel fight, wear sensible shoes.

7/10

Liberia: An Uncivil War (2004) (TV)

Interesting, but flawed, 22 May 2005

Liberia: An Uncivil War is a sometimes interesting, sometimes shocking, but sometimes flawed look at the last days of the Civil War in Liberia in 1993. One of the directors was embedded with the rebel group LURD, while the other spent his time in the capital city with the government and the people. The portions of the movie that focuses on the rebels is fascinating. More than of few of the rebels appear to be little more than boys. Their training appeared to be all but non-existent. Yet, the commitment to the rebel cause was obvious.

The portion focusing on the government was just as interesting. The images of civilians being slaughtered were horrific. It was amazing to watch some of these people attempt to go through life as if a battle wasn't taking place a few miles away. The one glaring weakness with this portion of the movie was the lack of in-depth coverage of the government's forces. Whether the filmmakers weren't afforded access or they just failed to report on the army was not made clear. What was clear was the fact that the army wasn't any more prepared or organized than the rebels.

My biggest complaint with the film (and I'm sure I'll get negative votes for this) was what I perceived to be an anti-American bias on the part of the filmmakers. At every possible opportunity, America was shown in as negative a light as possible. I understand that these may only be perceptions on my part, but that's the way I saw it.

5/10

Ju-Rei (2004)

- Ju-rei: Gekijô-ban - Kuro-ju-rei
No Originality, 12 April 2005

There is a curse affecting all who come into contact with it. It's spread like a horrible disease that only requires contact with an affected person. If you have the curse, you can expect to die a terrible, horrific death. The problem is that you may not know you've been cursed until it's too late and you see the black figure coming to get you.

If you are a fan of horror and the very brief description sounds familiar, don't be surprised. Ju-rei exhibits very little in the way of originality. It's the best parts of Ju-on or The Grudge repeated over and over. The ghosts look the same, sound the same, move the same, and have the same motivations. Furthermore, within the movie there is also little originality. The movie is divided into ten chapters. Once you've seen two or three of the chapters, you can pretty well guess what's going to happen next. One chapter is almost the same as the next chapter. There nothing much to make one chapter distinguishable from the others. While I found the first couple of chapters fairly frightening, the repetitive nature of the movie really hurts any scares in the later chapters.

The story is told backwards from chapter 10 to chapter 1. At first this seemed to be an interesting, unique way of telling a story. Trying to figure out who was who and how they came into contact with the curse was part of the fun of playing along. But, after a few chapters, it really didn't seem to matter much. Again, the lack of originality really hurt the movie.

Another problem I had with the movie was the beginning and ending. Or, to put it in a better way, the lack of a beginning and the lack of an ending. The movie presents no resolution to the events in the movie. It just ends. Likewise, the movie does not present a clear starting point. It's as if the curse has always been there and we are just viewing part of it's progress. I felt very unsatisfied.

4/10

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

The Magic is Gone, 25 February 2005

Although I'm not in the target audience, I've read all of the Harry Potter books. I watched and enjoyed both of the first two Harry Potter movies. I have been waiting quit a while to finally get the chance to see Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I don't know when I've been more disappointed with a movie.

From the very start, the movie feels rushed. It's amazing that the longest of the Harry Potter books was turned into the shortest of the Harry Potter movies. There's just so much that's left out. Take Harry's crush on an older student, Cho Chang. This relationship is so important to the next book and she is not even mentioned in this installment. I realize that to include everything in the book would have meant a 6 hour movie, but to leave out plot points like this is unforgivable.

Unless your a fan of the books or have seen the first two movies, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban must be a very difficult movie to follow. I mean I've read the book twice and still had trouble keeping up with what was going on. Take the line spoken by one of Harry's teachers with no explanation, "Five points from Gryffindor!" I can just imagine someone asking themselves "Five Points? What Five Points?" or "Gryffindor? What the hell is a Gryffindor?"

I realize that my biggest complaint about the movie is something that is difficult to put into words, but (and excuse the pun) the magic is gone. I sat in wonderment of the magic power the first two movies had. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban didn't come close to giving me that same feeling. For the most part, it just left me cold.

6/10

The Grudge (2004)

Some very creepy moments, 13 February 2005

The film's title refers to a Japanese myth involving the spirits of people who have died in "the grip of a powerful rage". Anyone who comes into contact with these spirits will die. The plot of The Grudge is very simple. An American exchange student, Karen (Sarah Michelle Gellar), living in Japan takes a job with a health care center. When one of the other workers doesn't show up, Karen is given her first solo assignment helping an older lady in her home. When Karen arrives, she immediately realizes that something is not quite right. What she doesn't realize is that this house is possessed by spirits who will kill anyone who sets foot inside.

Let me start by saying that I have not (as of 2/11/05) seen the original Japanese version. I plan to do so, hopefully, very soon. With that being said, I enjoyed The Grudge much more than I had expected. This is my first experience with Shimizu as a director, but I came away impressed. His has a nice ability to tell a story regardless of the language. The Grudge is one of the best examples of a non-linear story presentation that I can think of. As the movie progressed, it was a treat to watch Shimizu bring the pieces of the story together.

Another plus for The Grudge was Shimizu's decision (probably based on budgetary concerns as much as anything) to primarily use "real" effects and less CGI. The make-up on the Kayoka character, for example, created a far more unsettling image than the use of CGI could have. It was obvious that Kayoka was a real person, not just a computer image. The overuse or inappropriate use of CGI has ruined many modern horror movies.

There were, however, some areas where the movie could have been better. Gellar is one of the most unappealing leads in Hollywood. I've never understood what all the fuss is about. I always found her extremely annoying.

While the movie has many truly creepy (some were downright scary) scenes, the movie relies far too heavily on "jump moments". You know what I mean - a character opens a door and a cat jumps out (The Grudge actually features a cat jumping out of a closet). I've always thought that jump moments were a cheap way to illicit a response from the audience. A few jump moments can be good, but too many just becomes tiring.

Given that I wasn't expecting much, The Grudge was a lot of fun. I am looking forward to the sequel and to going back and discovering the original Japanese film - Ju-on: The Grudge.

7/10