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2005 Winter Video Roundup, Vol. III

2/22/05

"The Graduate"

Another film in the long list of "You Haven't Seen This Yet???" Series, "The Graduate" is one of those movies that you catch when you have some time on your hands, and as wacky as it was, I had to admit this was a great, great film.  The legendary narrative, featuring a college graduate named Ben (Dustin Hoffman) that is seduced by a neighbor (Anne Bancroft) and then falls in love with the neighbor's daughter (Katharine Ross), makes for a fun ride, and the performances are all spectacular.  The direction is exemplary, and one of those rare years where the Oscar winner for Best Director (Mike Nichols) didn't lead to a Best Picture win for the movie he directed...which, I think, makes the film even better over time because it didn't sweep all of the awards.  I really thought the ending was ridiculous, not ridiculous-yet-cool or ridiculous-yet-romantic, but that didn't ruin "The Graduate" for me.  And, there's just some really funny stuff in here, none funnier than the exchange between Ben and a concierge at a local hotel where Ben is trying to secure a room for a rendezvous with Mrs. Robinson.  Good times.

Rating:  Opening Weekend

"Sex and Lucia"

No shit:  it's a Spanish film about sex--a fair amount of sex, lots of sex talk and the greater meaning of sex for some of the characters--and Lucia (Paz Vega), a fairly obsessive woman that makes advances on a local writer named Lorenzo (Tristán Ulloa).  The two fall in love...but, it's a long movie, so you just KNOW that romance is going be topsy-turvy.  But, the sensuality of this film is hard to ignore, and the performance by Vega makes you see why we all should be excited for any work she does going forward; she was in "Spanglish" (haven't seen it) and I'm guessing she's getting a fair number of offers for work here in the States.  I just loved the filmmaking of "Sex and Lucia"; the other characters, the way the film is shot, the frankness of the sexuality...on and on.  It drags at times and I would have liked more on the supporting cast, particularly a woman (Najma Nimri) that shares a past with Lorenzo.  But overall, interesting stuff...just make sure the kids aren't in the room when Carlos is laying on the beach in the buff.  "Daddy...is that a snake?"

Rating:  $9.50 Show

"Maid in Manhattan"

This J-Lo/Ralph Fiennes vehicle deserved to be worse, and Fiennes himself gives maybe his worst performance on record...but, I was somehow mildly entertained by this.  Certainly some of it was my low expectations--how could a movie about the world's hottest maid/single parent (Jennifer Lopez) really be any good?--but some of it was decent pedigree, thanks to Stanley Tucci in a supporting role and the direction of Wayne Wang ("The Joy Luck Club"), who seems to know this ought to be dogshit and therefore does just enough work to ensure it is not awful.  As Fiennes remarks at one point regarding J-Lo's backside, the woman bootay is "perfect"...but, in a movie this fluffy, looks do matter, and everything is easy on the eyes so maybe that's why it works.  There are a couple of genuinely funny scenes, and the little boy is cute in his own little way.  I wouldn't ever want to see it again, but the J-Lo-Dates-White-Guy comedies have been worse, so we'll take "Maid in Manhattan" for now!

Rating:  Matinee

"Amores Perros"

This was awesome.  Yes, I know I should have seen it when it came out, but this just happens sometimes!  The three-fold story of various characters who are intertwined thanks to a car accident, "Amores Perros" ("Love's a Bitch") has a lot great going for it--a great script, Gael Garcia Bernal, tragic endings, a great soundtrack, and bitch brawls (thanks to multiples dog cage matches).  These brawls lead me to believe that I have never seen so many dead dogs in a single film.  Seriously, dogs were getting it left and right!  Then you had a couple of crazy dogs, then you had a missing dog...then you had a dog mass murderer!  No doubt, this was good times.  This film lost to "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" in the Best Foreign Language Film category the year it came out.

Rating:  Opening Weekend

 

 

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.)