Video Reviews

bellview--i love movies

Home | Movie Reviews | Video Roundups | Essays | Game Reviews | Subscribe | Mailbag | About | Search

2001 Summer Video Roundup, Vol. II

7/26/01

More flicks for the rental agent...

"The Virgin Suicides"

I'm in a book club, and I rented this to see how Sofia Coppola--daughter of Francis and a first-time director--visualized the Jeffrey Eugenides novel that we had to read this month.  Much like the book, her vision is so-so, with one difference.  Whereas I had a hard time getting into the five girls that, per the title, commit suicide over the course of one year in 1970s Michigan in the book...there is absolutely no feeling in Coppola's translation.  It is kind of boring watching the talented stars of the film--James Woods, Kathleen Turner, Josh Hartnett, Danny DeVito, Kirsten Dunst--go through the motions, and the girls' fall from grace is much more devastating in the book than it is in the movie.  The movie doesn't even leave much out--there isn't much to the book--but the way the girls fall out of social life is kind of blah.  The soundtrack is great, and Hartnett's portrayal of the high school hunk that one of the girls falls in love with is sometimes very funny.  However, he disappears about two-thirds of the way through, and at that point, you can just turn off the film.  If you've read the book--or, further, read and *liked* the book--don't see this film for any reason.

Rating:  Rental

"O Brother, Where Art Thou?"

A great film.  Set in the 1930s of the South, three escapees—George Clooney, Tim Blake Nelson and Coen Brothers regular John Turturro--set out to find buried treasure, money that Clooney's character Everett has stashed away after a crime that got him locked up.  This comedy takes fairly long scenic breaks between the action, but when it is funny, it is damned funny.  The music is great, and Charles Durning--as a dirty southern politician—has the funniest lines in the movie, including one where he calls Everett (white, like himself) "a stupid cracker."  White-on-white racism--it's fantastic!  And, Clooney is really good in this film.  After appearing in universal dogs "The Peacemaker", "One Fine Day" and "Batman and Robin" (still on the Bellview Worst Ten of All Time List), he has made "Out of Sight", "The Thin Red Line", "Three Kings" and now this.  This guy is on a run!!

Rating:  $9.50 Show

"The Contender"

Wow!!  I still can't believe that I skipped this film in theaters when it opened last fall.  In case you don't know about this one, the plot revolves around a senator (Oscar-nominated Joan Allen) that becomes embroiled in a sex scandal.  As a nominee to fill the Vice Presidency opened by the death of the former Vice President, she goes up against long odds and a confirmation hearings chairman (Gary Oldman) to become the first female Vice President in the history of the US.  Jeff Bridges--like Allen, nominated for an Oscar for his performance--is great in this film, and the plot keeps things fresh throughout.  The dialogue is spectacular and the movie is pretty funny at times to keep things fresh.  This movie felt a lot like "A Few Good Men" to me...always engaging, occasionally humorous, well-acted and written and it has a great ending.  Rent this one ASAP.

Rating:  Opening Weekend

"Cast Away"

The idea of watching Tom Hanks--and ONLY Tom Hanks--for 135 minutes didn't get me to check out this film while it was in theaters.  But, I rented it on DVD and watched it a couple of nights ago, and man, this movie was pretty good.  Hanks was nominated for his performance last fall, and you can see why:  his Chuck Noland is a good guy with a great life in Memphis, Tennessee...until he crash-lands with a FedEx cargo plane into the ocean and gets stranded on a far-away isle for four years on his own.  The movie does a great job of giving us the subtle horrors of being left to die in a faraway place, and Hanks' performance takes you from bad to worse to emaciated quickly.  Quite slow at times, but Hanks is very engaging and the special effects are pretty damned good.  That ending, though...can people hear their name being yelled if their car doors are closed shut and it is storming outside?  Only in the movies!!

Rating:  $9.50 Show

 

Comments?  Drop me a line at justin@bellviewmovies.com.

 

Bellview Rating System:

"Opening Weekend":  This is the highest rating a movie can receive.  Reserved for movies that exhibit the highest level of acting, plot, character development, setting...or Salma Hayek.  Not necessarily in that order. 

"$X.XX Show":  This price changes each year due to the inflation of movie prices; currently, it is the $9.50 Show.  While not technically perfect, this is a movie that will still entertain you at a very high level.  "Undercover Brother" falls into this category; it's no "Casablanca", but you'll have a great time watching.  The $9.50 Show won't win any Oscars, but you'll be quoting lines from the thing for ages (see "Office Space"). 

"Matinee":  An average movie that merits no more than a $6.50 viewing at your local theater.  Seeing it for less than $9.50 will make you feel a lot better about yourself.  A movie like "Blue Crush" fits this category; you leave the theater saying "That wasn't too bad...man, did you see that Lakers game last night?" 

"Rental":  This rating indicates a movie that you see in the previews and say to your friend, "I'll be sure to miss that one."  Mostly forgettable, you couldn't lose too much by going to Hollywood Video and paying $3 to watch it with your sig other, but you would only do that if the video store was out of copies of "Ronin."  If you can, see this movie for free.  This is what your TV Guide would give "one and a half stars." 

"Hard Vice":  This rating is the bottom of the barrel.  A movie that only six other human beings have witnessed, this is the worst movie I have ever seen.  A Shannon Tweed "thriller," it is so bad as to be funny during almost every one of its 84 minutes, and includes the worst ending ever put into a movie.  Marginally worse than "Cabin Boy", "The Avengers" or "Leonard, Part 6", this rating means that you should avoid this movie at all costs, or no costs, EVEN IF YOU CAN SEE IT FOR FREE!  (Warning:  strong profanity will be used in all reviews of "Hard Vice"-rated movies.)