Tags: negative review
09/06/08
In the beginning of Bangkok Dangerous, the Nicolas Cage character, Joe, goes over his four assassin rules. They resemble those in most dishonorable codes: "There is no wrong and right," "don't care about anybody," etc. (I wonder if it's based on some un-Natural Law. Maybe, it's Ayn Rand.). To those four, Cage seems to add his own, fifth, rule: "Never turn down a role no matter how un-challenging to the actor or how weak the script."
The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
Joe is an assassin in Bangkok to ply his trade. He enlists the help of Kong (Shahkrit Yamnarm). Nicolas also falls in love with a deaf girl (In the original Chinese film, Joe himself is deaf.). He teaches Kong assassin tricks like how to shoot watermelons and look in mirrors (Actually, the glass reflection part was pretty cool.).
The story continuously prompts the question, "so what?" As in: Who's Joe? Why should I care about him? Why should I care that the person he doesn't kill remain alive? Is he on drugs? If he is, why doesn't the script deal with it- you know, to develop the character or something?
Cage is in serious mode throughout the film- I think I saw one smile and maybe one other emotion. No acting, however. The training montage is weaker than Team America's. The action is unimaginative (One chase resembles the boat scene in the James Bond film, The Man with the Golden Gun.). The slap fight- martial arts scene looks like one of the bunnies in The Girls Next Door taking a self-defense class. Romantically, I think more sparks flew between Spitzer and ho #7 than Cage and his foreign conquest.
The Girls Next Door - Season 3
BD itself looks and sounds like somebody dropped the film can underwater. I thought I was watching one of the camcorder movies we'd buy from the Iraqis outside of the base.
For a movie based in Thailand and featuring one of its many "tourist destinations," BD was strangely "uninteresting" from a male perspective.
Team America: World Police - Unrated (Widescreen Special Collector's Edition)
The Man With The Golden Gun (Special Edition)
The bottom line is that I was bored and you will be too.
Politics/Message:
The message reminds me of those in "artistic" comic books: Ethical nihilism. Cage does something "good" or, at least, restrains himself from doing something "bad" for no reason except an emotional attachment, but then does something very non-life affirming at the end. This must be what passes for moral reflection amongst bourgeois, middle class rebels.
Cast below:
Tags: funny review, negative review, positive review
08/03/08
I and the other two people in the theater stayed through the whole movie- a testament to my dedication to the Asymmetric audience and the couple's ostentatiously demonstrated physical desire for each other and not the sometimes thoughtful, but ultimately boring Swing Vote.
The concept is good: One irresponsible lower middle-class loser's daughter votes in his stead when he doesn't show up to the polling station. As she's voting, the power goes out, causing an error. Bud Johnson (Kevin Costner) is therefore allowed to recast his ballot. It turns out that the candidates tied in New Mexico which means that Bud Johnson alone will decide the presidential election. When a reporter, Kate Madison (sexy Paula Patton), finds out that the voter is Bud, both candidates, political groups of all kinds, and the media descend upon his home. After being pandered to for eight days, Bud Johnson decides to hold a debate with letters from "real Americans" as the questions.
The movie isn't too bad. Bud and his daughter are a little obnoxious. The plot is much more predictable than the similar It Could Happen to You. None of the secondary characters are very interesting, and, except for Kate, they disappear quickly. So, we see Nathan Lane being an unscrupulous campaign manager in the beginning and middle, but we don't see him get his comeuppance, repent, or even slow clap at the end.
The biggest problem in Swing Vote, however, is the subject matter. Politics is a complicated, emotional business. It might make a good backdrop for a historical or scandal movie- or maybe a pure comedy where issues are not to be taken seriously, but a political theme makes for a horrible feel-good film. Did you like Dave, Bob Roberts, or Bullworth? Yeah, me neither.
Kevin Costner keeps his 20-movie non-hit streak intact.
Politics/Message:
Swing Vote is a very pro-integrity movie except in one very important case.
The Republican in the movie isn't a cold-hearted, corporate shill or mass murdering war monger which makes Swing Vote more conservative-friendly than 95% of politically-themed Hollywood movies.
On the other hand, Swing Vote treats issues in a cringe-worthily simplistic manner so that even fifth graders like Bud's daughter can understand them which means that it takes a liberal point of view- the government exists to "give" people health care and "rights."
Any candidate who addresses concerns people may have about illegal immigration or same-sex marriage is pandering (Oddly, redistributing wealth isn't pandering or playing to people's bad instincts- it's "helping.").
A river dam is just a corporate "interest" and against the environment. No mention that dams provide electricity so people can work and make money.
Speaking of money, the letter we hear Bud read during the debate is from a couple in Kentucky. The man is an Army veteran who "fought for this country." He and his wife each work two jobs, and they still can't "afford to live in the country." Before you start tearing up, let's examine this issue:
1. About 95% of married couples where one spouse works full time live over the poverty line.
2. Army veterans get education aid and received a livable salary- while in the Army at least. I'm almost certain that very few veterans work at minimum wage jobs.
3. Even if he and his wife did work for the minimum wage: $6.65 x 160 hours per week is $1,064.00 a week. Over $4,000 a month and they can't live- in Kentucky!
4. And no child in America is without health care.
Or, is Swing Vote liberal? During Bud's speech, he admits to having wasted opportunities to get ahead. Isn't taking responsibility for one's plight a conservative idea?
Cast below:
Tags: negative review, positive review
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