Deception (2008)

We didn’t know what to expect from this, it had an interesting combination of actors paired together and the film is a suspense thriller type flick. I think it was good enough to hold your attention throughout the story, it has an interesting plot twist and the ending might not be what you would have expected. This was Marcel Langenegger’s first effort as a director and he seemed to capture this daring yet provocative atmosphere. Mark Bomback was responsible for the screenplay, he previously had written the screenplay for Live Free or Die Hard (2007) starring Bruce Willis and Race to Witch Mountain with The Rock (Dwaine Johnson) (2009).

Ewan McGregor plays the character Jonathan McQuarry and is the focus of the story, we see him as a kind of introverted accountant who zests for life but is unable to obtain it. He is seeking some adventure when he meets up with Wyatt Bose played by Hugh Jackman. His character is over the top and outgoing, looking at life from the other end. There is a secret sex type club where men and women get together with no strings attached and have one night stands. This club is exclusive to workaholics who don’t have time for a deep committed relationship. Along the way, Jonathan meets up with a woman simply named S. She is played by actress Michelle Williams. You might know her from the television series Dawson’s Creek as Jen Lindley starring alongside James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and Kerr Smith.

More of the cast includes Bruce Altman playing a Lawyer, model Karolina Muller appears as a waitress, Natasha Henstridge is Simone Wilkinson, Lisa Gay Hamilton is Detective Russo, Malcolm Goodwin is a Cabbie, Paul Sparks is Detective Ed Burke, Kenneth Lee is a waiter, Maggie Q is Tina, Florencia Lozano is the Clancey Receptionist, Emelie Jeffries is the Medical Examiner, and Javier Godino is the Bank Manager.

I think you will find this to be pretty entertaining; it was not a standout film…but it had it merits. Surely it is worth a rental or whatnot to watch on a weekend. It is a typical cat and mouse mind game between the leading characters which leads to some suspenseful moments.

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Written by: Terry Larch

Deception (2008) Review

Shallow Hal (2001)

Here is a neat movie which deals about perception. It shows how differently people are treated. I think most people would agree with this being a wonderful heartfelt film. A lot of the characters in this are identifiable to many and there easy to follow along with as the story unfolds. A film like this also appeals to many different age ranges. It was directed by the Farrelly brothers (Bobby and Peter). They also collaborated for the screenplay along with Sean Moynihan.

Jack Black stars as Hal who only sees women for their physical appearance only and not their personality so much. Things change for him as he meets up with Rosemary played by Gwyneth Paltrow. She is an overweight woman. Gwyneth wore a “fat suit” as she filmed this and many people didn’t even recognize her. Jason Alexander plays Mauricio who has his own self obsession and views about women as well. As you watch this film you will discover a secret about him. The late Joe Viterelli plays Steve Shanahan Rosemary’s father. He was often cast in mobster type roles or police men.

Hal discovers much more about life and relationships especially after being hypnotized by self help guru Tony Robbins played by Anthony Robbins. He in real life gives speeches and seminars to people in need of help and motivation in their lives, perhaps you have seen him on television at some point.

There are more interesting characters in this such as Walt played by Rene Kirby who in real life suffers from spina bifida which is a birth defect where the backbone and spinal canal don’t close before birth. He in real life leads a productive life despite his unfortunate circumstances and he has appeared in a few other film productions. Bruce McGill appears in this as Reverend Larson he has a pretty lengthy resume of film and television roles. Susan Ward plays Hal’s neighbor and once romantic interest named Jill. Zen Gesner plays Ralph, Brooke Burns is Katrina, Rob Moran is Second Tiffany, Joshua ‘Li’iBoy’ Shintani is Li’iBoy, Kyle Gass is Artie, Laura Kightlinger is Jen, and Nan Martin is Nurse Tanya Peeler.

The film was nominated for the Teen Choice Awards for Choice Actor, Choice Actress, and Choice Movie. Overall, I think you will surely enjoy this one; there are some touching moments in it. And it deals with things they linger in our society among one another. I highly recommend seeing this one, it no doubt will become a classic over time.

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Written by: Terry Larch

Shallow Hal (2001) Review

Ghost Town (2008)

I just finished seeing this one the other day; I thought it was more clever than other films which are similar. It is a comedy romance film with a fantasy element to it. It was put together well by writer/director David Koepp who has a fairly creative mind. He directed the film Secret Window (2004) with Johnny Depp. Perhaps he is better known as a writer, his resume includes: Angels & Demons (2009), Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), Spider-Man (2002), and Jurassic Park (1993) among others. He also had written the screenplay for Ghost Town along with John Kamps.

The main cast of the film is pretty small, but it focuses on the afterlife among the living. It sets up some of the comedy, but the film is filled with a few dramatic moments as well. Greg Kinnear stars as Frank Herlihy a man who is bitter about what he did while he was still alive, and in particular his relationship with his former wife Gwen played by Téa Leoni . He returns to haunt dentist Bertram Pincus D.D.S. played by British actor Ricky Gervais since he has the ability to see ghosts from something that happens to him. His character is very bitter and doesn’t care for people in general. I never really cared for him as an actor, however in this role he seemed to fit pretty well.

There are a few others that appear in this such as Aasif Mandvi as Dr. Prashar, Bridget Moloney as the Receptionist, Bill Campbell as Richard, Dana Ivey as Marjorie Pickthall, Jeff Hiller as the Naked Guy, Betty Gilpin as the WWII Nurse, Kristen Wiig as the Surgeon, and Claire Lautier as the Upper East Side Lady.

The tagline that was used was “He sees dead people… and they annoy him”

I think overall you will find this to be worthwhile to see, it took a little bit to get into the story, and to see where they were going with the characters. But, once the film established that, it seemed to come together by the ending which was quite interesting.

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Written by: Terry Larch

Ghost Town (2008) Review

Big Fan (2009)

This is a very compelling sports themed film; you really feel for the character as you see him seep deeper into a spiraling depression of anguish.  He continues to fall off the deep end in his life and loses his sanity pieces at a time. Robert D. Siegel directed and also wrote the screenplay. He is a former Editor in Chief of “The Onion” website (a news publication online focusing on various subjects) this film was praised by different media as a standout and was both nominated and won a few different awards.

The film was categorized as a comedy, but it is nothing like a comedy. There might be a couple mildly amusing moments, but the film is very drama filled with a good in depth look at a man’s life who is obsessed with the New York Giants NFL football team. The leading character named Paul Aufiero is played by Patton Oswalt who is better known for his comedic roles in shows like The King of Queens as Spence Olchin. He also has done some standup comedy for HBO and Comedy Central networks.

His best friend Sal is played by Kevin Corrigan who shares a common interest as a fan of the New York Giants NFL football team as well. Together they attend the games (in the parking lot of the home stadium) Paul’s mother is played by Marcia Jean Kurtz and is very convincing in the part. Paul’s brother Jeff is played by Gino Cafarelli who I thought was great in the role and equally believable. Matt Servitto appears in this as Detective Velarde, he has an extensive television resume. Polly Humphreys plays Paul’s sister Christine and her husband Dennis is played by Joe Garden. Sidné Anderson plays Dr. Parker; and Michael Rapaport plays Philadelphia Phil a rival fan of the Philadelphia Eagles NFL team.

Paul is obsessed with a particular player on the Giant’s roster named Quantrell Bishop played by Jonathan Hamm. He is a fictitious quarterback. In his eyes he can do no wrong, and when push comes to shove everything falls to pieces in this unusual obsession. Each time the Giants play, he calls in to a radio show giving his input on what happened game day. As this happens we see him change throughout the story. I think Patton Oswalt delivered an unexpected performance and really shined in this role. The film is certainly worthy to see and will leave you bedazzled by the end of it. I think every sports fan will appreciate this one, but it leaves room for a vast audience.

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Written by: Terry Larch

Big Fan (2009) Review

Planet of the Apes (1968)

I felt like watching a classic with my wife, it was fun to revisit this wonderfully strange and exciting world where the dominate species were not humans but apes. The film was nominated for a few Oscars including Best Costume Design, Best Music Original Score for a Motion Picture (not a Musical), and an Honorary Award was given to late make-up artist John Chambers. This film was directed by Franklin J. Schaffner and the screenplay credits go to Michael Wilson and Rod Serling (best known from the Twilight Zone series). The film was based upon the novel by French writer Pierre Boulle.

The film is an absolute classic among many movie goers; it was hailed by many during its release. The film has a very interesting ending which will leave your mind wandering. The acting by the cast is magnificent and the special effects for its time were quite good.

The plot basically goes like this, a few selected astronauts from a special space exploration mission discover a new world as they land in the future, they have no idea what they are in for, as they find out on this planet things are very primate and primordial. The crew is lead by George Taylor played by screen legend Charlton Heston, he is accompanied by Robert Gunner as Landon, Jeff Burton as Dodge, and Dianne Stanley as Astronaut Stewart who was uncredited.

As they venture out into what is known as “The Forbidden Zone” they try to find traces of life. After the initial setup, things become much more interesting as they meet up with the apes. The leading ape characters are played by Roddy Mcdowall as Cornelius his wife Dr. Zira is played by Kim Hunter. Maurice Evans portrays Dr. Zaius, James Whitmore plays the President of the Assembly, James Daly is Dr. Honorius, Buck Kartalian is Julius, Lou Wagner is Lucious, Woodrow Parfrey is Dr. Maximus, Wright King is Dr. Galen, Paul Lambert is the Minister, and Norman Burton is the Hunt Leader.

Later on, Taylor befriends Nova who is among the human captives played by Linda Harrison.

The film would go on to spawn four more sequels Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971), Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972), Battle of the Planet of the Apes (1973). There is however a remake using the same title Planet of the Apes (2001) directed by Tim Burton starring Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Clarke Duncan, Estella Warren, and Paul Giamatti.

I think you will enjoy this, if you have never seen it before; this is a science fiction classic and will leave your mind thinking about the different possibilities.

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Written by: Terry Larch

Planet of the Apes (1968) Review

One Crazy Summer (1986)

Here is a blast from the past type film. It is pretty old now, but still enjoyable to see. I’m sure many people never watched or have even heard of this one. I watched it quite a few times years ago. I do believe it is one of the better quirky comedies from the 1980’s. The characters in this are all pretty original and played by a talent cast who fit each of the roles. It was directed by Savage Steve Holland. He has directed a few other films including Better Off Dead… (1985) and How I Got Into College (1989). Savage Steve Holland also wrote the screenplay for this as well. His other credits include a number of television series.

There is some creative use of animation that is used throughout the film which fittingly seems to add something overall. I think you will appreciate it to some degree. I’ve never seen a film quite like this one, it has its own kind of thing happening. The story setting is in Nantucket, Massachusetts which provides a good backdrop to everything that happens.

John Cusack stars in this tale as Hoops McCann, he had previously worked with Savage Steve Holland in Better Off Dead… (1985). It was kind of a cult hit as well. He is surrounded by an unusual group of characters which include his good friend George Calamari played by Joel Murray. Yes, he is one of Bill Murray’s brothers. If he looks familiar to you, it might be the number of appearances he has made in television series such as “Dharma & Greg” playing the character Pete Cavanaugh.

Curtis Armstrong appears in this as Ack Ack Raymond, he is best known as Dudley ‘Booger’ Dawson from the Revenge of the Nerds (1984) franchise films. Jennifer Yahoodik appears in this as Andrea (she is the little girl) it was her only ever known appearance. Demi Moore plays the struggling artist named Cassandra who becomes the love interest of Cusack’s character Hoops. Bobcat Goldthwait delivers a remember able performance as Egg Stork, his brother Clay Stork is played by Tom Villard. There are more appearances in this such as Linda Warren playing Mrs. McCann, Rachel C. Telegen as Brunhelda, John Matuszak as Stain, Matt Mulhern as Teddy Beckersted, Kimberly Foster as Cookie Cambell, Jeremy Piven as Ty, Billie Bird as Grandma, Bruce Wagner as Uncle Frank, Joe Flaherty as General Raymond, Mark Metcalf as Aguilla Beckersted, the late William Hickey appears as Old Man Beckersted, Taylor Negron as Taylor, Rich Hall as Wilbur and Rich Little makes a brief appearance as a Disc Jockey.

The storyline is fairly simple, but it still brings a number of funny scenes which will put a smile on your face. I think most people will find this unique comedy entertaining to watch at least once.

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Written by: Terry Larch

One Crazy Summer (1986) Review

Surrogates (2009)

We just finished seeing this science fiction take on the future, both I and my wife enjoyed it. The premise may not be entirely original, but it certainly held your interest throughout the entire length at a runtime of 88 minutes. This was directed by Jonathan Mostow, who is probably best known for another futuristic tale he directed Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), the 3^rd installment of the franchise series. The idea of the film originated from a comic graphic novel. Its short-lived existence lasted between the years 2005 – 2006. The screenplay was written by Michael Ferris and John D. Brancato. The graphic novels were written by Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele.

As I watched this one, I was often reminded of the early 90’s film Freejack (1992) starring Emilio Estevez, musician Mick Jagger, and Rene Russo. There are several other films which this one seemed to borrow from in some way such as Johnny Mnemonic (1995) starring Keenu Reeves. And also, moments of the film seemed to remind me of Strange Days (1995) starring Ralph Fiennes, Angela Bassett, Juliette Lewis, and Tom Sizemore. I’m sure there are others which I will remember later. Regardless of this, I think it was worthwhile to watch for a futuristic film.

It helps to have a veteran leading man such as Bruce Willis who plays a character named Tom Greer. He is the focus of the story, which is about people who have all but abandoned actual real human relationships in person. They rely heavily on machines in the year 2017 to do everything for them as extensions of themselves in the form of “Surrogates” in this far advanced technological future. Their physical android bodies are being controlled remotely by the actual person who lies on electronic tanning type beds called “Stem Chairs”.

Bruce’s character Tom is also an FBI agent, which is something Willis does quite well at. (Authoritative type roles) Radha Mitchell plays Agent Jennifer Peters his working counterpart referred to as “Peters” she is his partner. Meanwhile, in his personal life, Tom’s wife Maggie played by British actress Rosamund Pike is addicted to her Surrogate and causes a strain on their relationship.

Actor Ving Rhames also appears in this as “The Prophet” he has appeared with Bruce Willis in the Quentin Tarantino cult classic film Pulp Fiction (1994). There are more appearances in this such as Boris Kodjoe as a character named Stone, James Francis Ginty as Canter Surrogate, James Cromwell as Older Canter, Jack Noseworthy as Strickland, Devin Ratray as Bobby, Jeffrey De Serrano as Armando, Michael Cudlitz as Colonel Brendon, Jeffrey De Serrano as Armando, and Swedish actress Helena Mattsson as JJ.

I’m not sure why this film didn’t do better; perhaps it was the fierce competition at the box office during its release. The film hardly earned much gross revenue. It cost $80 million dollars to make and has earned $87,556,354 to date. That’s not much by Hollywood standards nowadays. But make no mistake, this is worth a rental and is entertaining enough.

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Written by: Terry Larch

Surrogates (2009) Review

Chaplin (1992)

If you are a historical Hollywood fan, you will certainly appreciate the fine filmmaking by director Richard Attenborough, as he tells the tale about screen legend Charlie Chaplin a standout actor among the golden Hollywood age. The film is filled with dazzling scenery, it captures the lifestyle of Charlie Chaplin and brings you an inside look about his life. The screenplay was based upon the book “Chaplin His Life and Art” by David Robinson and Charles Chaplin “My Autobiography”. The story was written by Diana Hawkins with the collaborative efforts of the screenplay written by William Boyd, Bryan Forbes, and William Goldman.

The story is told in such a way that you can follow along in a series of flashbacks with some narration overlays here and there. Attenborough who hails from Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England has directed a number of other films including Gandhi (1982), In Love and War (1996) and has acted in such films as Jurassic Park (1993).

In this film, he directs Robert Downey Jr. who clearly stands out with his Oscar nominated performance as Charles Spencer Chaplin. In my opinion, this is his greatest role to date. The film follows Chaplin through his failures and successes as well as his brushes with the government and law enforcement.

The film is more of a biographical picture overall, and I don’t think many so-called critics understood what Attenborough was trying to accomplish with his film. It isn’t an easy task to highlight Chaplin’s life and try to condense it into 144 minutes. There are many acclaimed actors who appear in various roles throughout this intriguing story which I think you will find interesting.

We get a chance to see the romantic interests of Chaplin through a series of flashback sequences and how he met each of the ladies in his life. The film also shows his early years in life. His mother Hannah Chaplin is played by Geraldine Chaplin. Moira Kelly appears in this as Hetty Kelly (Oona O’Neill Chaplin), Marisa Tomei is Mabel Normand, Penelope Ann Miller is Edna Purviance, Maria Pitillo plays Mary Pickford, Milla Jovovich is Mildred Harris, Deborah Moore is Lita Grey, Nancy Travis as Joan Barry and Diane Lane is Paulette Goddard.

There are more appearances in this by Paul Rhys as Sydney Chaplin, John Thaw as Fred Karno, Anthony Hopkins as George Hayden, Dan Aykroyd as Mack Sennett, Kevin Kline as Douglas Fairbanks, Kevin Dunn as J. Edgar Hoover, James Woods as Joseph Scott, and David Duchovny as Rollie Totheroh.

I think you can enjoy this film with your friends, as it gives you a real sense about the early Hollywood days and the story of a truly unique individual.

“Everyone has a wild side. Even a legend”

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Written by: Terry Larch

Chaplin (1992) Review

Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

If you have never seen this film, do yourself a favor and get it. You will enjoy this as an adult and your children will love it also. It has become an absolute classic over the years. The film was directed by Mel Stuart and the screenplay was written by Roald Dahl based upon his book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” David Seltzer was uncredited for his collaboration on the screenplay. There is another version of this film that was released titled Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) starring Johnny Depp which was directed by Tim Burton. I however think the films do not compare, and Burton’s version isn’t anywhere near as good as the original.

This film was released June 30 in 1971 and had a budget of $2.9 million grossing $4 million overall. It however gained more notoriety as time went by. It was praised by many children around the world. The cast is simply outstanding and very remember able.

The story is basically about a poor boy that gets a golden ticket to a wondrous world of chocolate dreams and fantastic fantasy among four other children from different parts of the world. You will discover what Oompa Loompas are from seeing this. There are rivers of chocolate, candy trees and enough sweets for everyone. Your sweet tooth will surely appreciate this.

Will Charlie played by Peter Ostrum be tempted to share Wonka’s secrets to Arthur Slugworth played by Günter Meisner?

Peter Ostrum (Charlie) is now a veterinarian of large farm animals in upstate New York; he has a family and never returned to acting after his initial role as Charlie. He wanted to remain a regular child and strayed away from the spotlight. He was offered a three picture deal, but turned it down after Willie Wonka. Gene Wilder plays Willy Wonka and is a Hollywood icon in this role among others. I can’t say enough good things about his Golden Globe nominated performance as Willy Wonka. There are some people who stand out among others and Gene certainly does.

The incredible cast however doesn’t stop with Peter Ostrum and Gene Wilder, the late Jack Albertson portrays Grandpa Joe who comes along with Charlie to the Chocolate factory. He has appeared in classics such as The Poseidon Adventure (1972) and numerous television series. The late Roy Kinnear plays Mr. Salt, his daughter Veruca Salt is played by Julie Dawn Cole, Leonard Stone plays Mr. Beauregarde, Denise Nickerson is his daughter Violet Beauregarde, Nora Denney is Mrs. Teevee, her son Mike Teevee is played by Paris Themmen, Ursula Reit plays Mrs. Gloop, and her son Augustus Gloop is played by Michael Bollner, Diana Sowle plays Charlie’s mother Mrs. Bucket, Aubrey Woods plays Bill, David Battley plays Mr. Turkentine, and Günter Meisner is Mr. Slugworth.

The film was nominated for an Oscar. It is a blend of Comedy, Fantasy and has some Musical qualities as well. There are a number of songs in this film that are catchy and creative. They will leave you humming along by the time the film is over. This is a must see film, and is quite entertaining as it is charming. I highly recommend seeing this.

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Written by: Terry Larch

Willie Wonka (1971) Review

The Hangover (2009)

I finally got around to seeing this, I must say it was very over the top humor and a bit forced at times. There were a few humorous scenes in it. But, I think only some people would enjoy it, while others would find it repulsive. The storyline was quite unrealistic, but hey it’s a movie, so it doesn’t have to be a real world scenario. I guess some of these things could have happened in Las Vegas. But, they were very much a fantasy in many ways. It was pretty creative however, from the writings of Jon Lucas and Scott Moore who both collaborated for the screenplay. It was directed by Todd Phillips, who has a sequel in development already and will likely be released sometime in 2011.

It had a commercial success, and a mainstream appeal. Our society seems to enjoy films like this. These types of films seem to appeal to a pretty broad audience range. I’ve seen better and seen worse. If I were to grade this film on a five star scale, I would give this one two and a half for its efforts. I did however think the casting for this film was done well. It was nice to see some lesser known actors in this.

There are a few cameos also in this such as boxer Mike Tyson playing himself. Also keep your eyes open for Heather Graham playing Jade, Sasha Barrese as Tracy Garner, Jeffrey Tambor as Sid Garner, Ken Jeong as Mr. Chow, Rachael Harris as Melissa, Mike Epps as Black Doug, Jernard Burks as Leonard, Rob Riggle as Officer Franklin, Cleo King as Officer Garden, and Bryan Callen as Eddie Palermo. The film did manage to capture some nice desert scenery and there are a number of Las Vegas panoramic views that you will enjoy seeing.

The leading cast consists of four friends who venture to Las Vegas for a bachelor party and they have a most unusual evening indeed. The leading characters are played by Bradley Cooper as Phil Wenneck who seems to be the leader of the bunch. Georgia native Ed Helms plays the character Stu Price who seems to be the level headed thinker who also happens to be a dentist. Zach Galifianakis plays Alan Garner; he is a standout among them. He truely is very unusual and finds some interesting phrases throughout the length of the film. Justin Bartha plays Doug Billings you might know him from the National Treasure (2004) movies playing Riley Poole alongside Nicolas Cage.

There are a number of mix-ups and misunderstandings as the friends try to piece together clues of what exactly happened the night before. This sets up the comedy for the film. The first part of it I thought ran a little slow. But it picks up some steam as it goes along.

I certainly think this film helped these upcoming actors’ careers. Bradley Cooper will appear as Lt. Templeton ‘Faceman’ Peck in the upcoming movie adaptation of The A-Team (2010). Ed Helms will appear in the upcoming Cedar Rapids (2011) alongside Sigourney Weaver, John C. Reilly, and Anne Heche among others. Zach Galifianakis will appear in the upcoming Dinner for Schmucks (2010) by director Jay Roach.

This film was very successful at the box office raking in $459,422,869 million gross and the budget for the film was $35 million overall. There is an unrated version of the film also available.

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Written by: Terry Larch

The Hangover (2009) Review