Fallen

Fallen

Director, Gary Hoblit, crafted an exciting, riveting, and spooky tale of ghostly proportions. Hoblit casts Denzel Washington, John Goodman, and Donald Sutherland to bring his freak-of-nature film to life. The only question that remains, “Will they live or will they die?” Only time will tell!

The picture begins with John Hobbes (Washington) narrating the film and indicating that he was going to tell us about the night he “almost” died. After the narration, we are transported back to witness the execution of Edgar Reese (Elias Koteas), which is a known killer that Hobbes apprehended. John visits with Reese just minutes before his execution and witnesses what can only be described as bizarre behavior. Reese is escorted to the gas chamber where he is ushered into the hereafter.

Following the execution of Reese, John investigates several homicides that eerily resemble the work of our dearly departed psychopath. Initially, Hobbes and his partner, Jonesy (Goodman), suspect a copy-cat killer is on the loose. As time passes, a more supernatural influence begins to take shape and Hobbes recognizes the need to seek help, which comes in the form of Gretta Milano (Embeth Davidtz). Milano has devoted her life to studying the paranormal and is somewhat hesitant to help Hobbes solve his spiritual quandary. As the two begin their “witch” hunt, John becomes a suspect in the murders he is investigating. His boss, Lt. Stanton (Donald Sutherland), places him on leave after a standoff where John shoots and kills an individual, which clearly seems to be a case of self-defense. After his suspension, Hobbes has to flee for his freedom as he hunts down the murderer to try and prove his innocence.

If he can stay one step ahead of the assassin, Hobbes will find that Time Is On His Side; however, one miscalculation may lead to an untimely demise. This film is one twist after another, which kept me captivated and on the edge of my seat the entire time. Credit goes to the director for bringing in an amazing cadre of actors, which certainly elevated this flick’s potential.

I give Fallen four stars and may have to re-watch it to see what I missed the first time. I thought the acting was wonderful, the special effects were ok (not amazing), but the eeriness of the film just totally creeped me out! If you are looking for a supernatural thriller that won’t let you down, then I would suggest you pick up Fallen.

That’s How Matt Sees It!

Tempest

This movie was very interesting. It’s not exactly what I was expecting, but that can be a good thing.

Tempest is based on the breakup of a high-powered couple, Phillip (John Cassavetes) and Antonia (Gena Rowlands). Phillip is a famous and powerful architect who longs to drop out of the rat race; Antonia is a former actress yearning to get back on the stage. These two goals are obviously at odds with each other and tensions erupt.

When Phillip discovers Antonia’s affair he decides to quit his job and move to Greece to find his bliss. His daughter, Miranda, begs to go with him to Greece and her parents reluctantly allow her to stay with Phillip during her summer vacation.

Once in Greece, Phillip meets a gorgeous free spirit, Aretha (Susan Sarandon), and they hook up. Life in Greece is not exactly as he had imagined, but he falls into a routine he enjoys. Inevitably, at the end of the summer Antonia comes to bring Miranda home. Phillip doesn’t want her to leave and Miranda doesn’t want to go, so the trio moves to a remote island with a strange inhabitant.

Toward the end, a giant storm blows up and Antonia finds herself on Phillip’s island. The title, Tempest, is literally manifested in the storm, but the entire movie is filled with small tempests between each of the characters. It’s with wit and humor that Phillip weathers these storms and finds the life he had been craving.

Tempest earns four stars. The acting is superb and scenery is phenomenal. I liked the movie, but wasn’t captivated by it; I found myself drifting away at times. Overall, I think Tempest is a movie well worth watching and I certainly recommend it.

Michelle D. Kieffaber

Tempest

Tempest

This early 80’s flick is a relaxing way to spend a couple of hours. Paul Mazursky’s loose adaptation of Shakespeare’s Tempest shows how something classic can be given a more timely flavor. Mazursky’s Tempest showcases the talents of some of Hollywood’s superstars including: John Cassavetes, Gena Rowlands, Susan Surandon, Raul Julia and a youthful Molly Ringwald.

This film focuses on the familial interaction of Phillip (John), Antonia (Gena), and Miranda (Ringwald). The start of this picture is a little slow as character development is set up; however, it only takes a moment to realize that there is trouble in paradise. Phillip and Antonia are having marital problems brought about by his partial mental collapse and mid-life crisis. Adding fuel to this fire, Antonia starts dating Phillip’s boss, which creates a gale-force wind that blows him directly over the preverbal cliff. Caught in the turbulent storm of this dysfunctional relationship is their 15-year old daughter Miranda. In order to clear his head, Phillip decides to retreat to his native Greece. His daughter, Miranda, refuses to stay with her mother and accompanies him on this troubling journey promising that she will return when school resumes.

During their stay in Greece, Phillip and Miranda meet up with Aretha (Surandon) who quickly develops a relationship with father and daughter. The three flee Greece to an almost uninhabited island when Antonia comes looking for Miranda. Upon arrival, our gang meets up with Kalibanos (Julia) the only island resident. He develops an unhealthy crush on Miranda, which is quickly addressed by her father. The four live on the island for about a year until Antonia tracks them down yet again. However, this time an enormous storm capsizes her boat and everyone is thrown overboard. What ensues is a bout of heroism as our four castaways attempt to save those who have been pitched into the sea.

Overall, I liked this movie. I do have to admit it did seem to drag in places. However, I liked the acting (didn’t love it), the cinematography was pretty good (for the early 80s), and the scenery and idea for the movie was a breath of fresh air. Who would have thought that running away from your problems would be an effective coping mechanism. I won’t give away the ending of the film, but will say that you probably wouldn’t have seen it coming. I give the film three stars for a unique spin on an old tale. If you want to get tossed around a bit, give Tempest a whirl.

That’s How Matt Sees It!

Secret Window

I was eager to watch this movie when it first came out on DVD in 2004, and was quite happy to re-watch it this evening. The movie involves two of my favorite people: Johnny Depp and Stephen King. Secret Window is based on a short story by King and like most “King Movies” the book is better, but the movie has its charms.

Secret Window stars Johnny Depp as a famous author, Mort Rainey. In flashbacks, we discover Rainey and his wife are in the midst of a contentious divorce. He caught her cheating and left her. He is now living alone at their vacation home. Riddled with depression, Rainey spends his days sleeping until he is visited by a stranger making outrageous claims about plagiarism.

As the movie progresses, the stranger, played to perfection by John Turturro, threatens Mort, kills his dog and burns down the main house (where his estranged wife still lives). The stranger is just getting started and things get increasingly tense with each passing day. It is clear to everyone that Mort is cracking from the strain.

I’ll refrain from giving you the ending, but the movie illustrates the thin line between love and hate. It also shows us that sanity can be a very fleeting and fluid concept, even in the most ordinary of citizens.

Secret Window gets four stars. The novella entitled, Secret Window, Secret Garden published in the collection Four Past Midnight, provides a richer experience, but the movie is quite good. Depp and Turturro are very well cast, the pacing is quick and the shocks keep you reeling.

Michelle D. Kieffaber

The Secret Window

The Secret Window

This mind-bending thriller, written and directed by David Koepp, features two top-notched actors in Johnny Depp and John Turturro. Depp and Turturro bring to life Mort Rainey and John Shooter with the ease and beauty of an artist painting a masterpiece. Koepp certainly selected the appropriate cast members for this adaptation of Stephen King’s “Secret Window, Secret Garden.”

The movie begins with Mort discovering his wife having an affair. After a few brief moments, the film fast-forwards to six months later and Rainey sleeping on his tattered couch. Apparently, from the look of Depp, he has been spending many tortured days on the sofa trying to get over his wife’s infidelity and his apparent writer’s block.

No sooner than we realize that Mort is a world famous author, John Shooter (Turturro) shows up at the front door to accuse him of stealing his story. As would be assumed, Rainey denies that he has plagiarized the man’s work. The tall, imposing, creepy, hat-wearing stranger leaves his manuscript behind for Rainey to review with the promise that he would return to set things straight.

Throughout the movie Rainey flashes back to moments in his relationship with his wife. He also develops an understandable hatred for her boyfriend who seems to be around at the most inopportune times. Although proceeding somewhat amicably with their divorce, Mort develops an inability to sign the separation agreement, much to the dismay of his soon-to-be ex-wife and her new found soul mate.

As the film progresses, Shooter makes several more appearances threatening Rainey and those he loves. John conveys, in not so subtle terms, that he wants Rainey to re-write the ending to the story (the way it had originally been written) and name him the story’s author. As Mort attempts to prove he wrote the story before Shooter, gruesome and inexplicable events begin to transpire. Rainey’s world quickly spirals out of control and John Shooter begins to infiltrate every aspect of his life.

The ending is not all too shocking; however, it fits exactly with how this movie portrayed itself, which is to say a little slow and banal. If not for the beautiful setting and superb acting, this movie would have been a colossal failure. I was deeply disappointed in this film and may even go as far as saying that I will never get that one hour and thirty minutes of my life back. The film moved at a snails pace and really didn’t get to the point of actually being a thriller. If I had to make a suggestion, only watch this movie if you absolutely have nothing better to do! This motion picture gets 2 stars because, Depp and Turturro gave some very convincing performances even with a shallow and unimagined script. If you ever have a chance to see Secret Window, you may want to sneak out of it!

That’s How Matt Sees It!

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

To celebrate the life and career of Elizabeth Taylor, I re-watched the classic Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. This movie is based on a play by Tennessee Williams and brilliantly showcases Ms. Taylor in her prime. Also in his prime, is Paul Newman as her husband. In their heyday, I can’t imagine two more gorgeous people than Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor, and the bonus is they can act.

In the movie, Paul Newman plays a good time party boy (Brick) who has fallen out of love with his wife (Maggie) and into the bottle. They return to Brick’s boyhood home to celebrate the birthday of his father, Big Daddy. Also in attendance are Brick’s mother, brother, sister-in-law and his annoying nieces and nephews.

All is not well in this household. There is tension between every member of the family. Much of the tension stems from the pending disposition of Big Daddy’s estate. Big Daddy has cancer but doesn’t realize he is terminal. The tension mounts as a storm builds outside. As the storm breaks, so do the emotional dams in the house. Buried secrets (including Big Daddy’s diagnosis) come to the surface and the tension inside abates as the storm eases.

In the end, airing the secrets allow the family dynamics to strengthen and heal. The marriage between Brick and Maggie is salvaged and Big Daddy’s desires for his legacy will be heeded.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof gets five solid stars. The acting is superb, the direction flawless and the cinematography captivating. This movie really makes me miss the early stars of Hollywood. I don’t think there will ever be another Paul Newman or Elizabeth Taylor. The movie shouldn’t be missed.

Michelle D. Kieffaber

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

     This adaptation of Tennessee William’s classic play is nothing short of miraculous. Director and writer, Richard Brooks, not only brought the play to life on the silver screen, he also cast the parts with the biggest names in Hollywood at the time. If I’m being completely truthful, I had never watched an Elizabeth Taylor movie. Wow, was I missing out!

     The movie begins with Brick (Paul Newman) reliving his glory days as he hurdles down the track and finally crashes to the ground in a drunken stupor. From the onset of this film, it is clear that Brick has a severe alcoholic addiction, which has taken over his very being. We are quickly transported to the next day and our leading man drowning his sorrows on his sofa with his foot in a cast. His wife, Maggie “the cat” (Taylor), enters and begins a conversation with her betrothed. Through their interaction, it is apparent that there is trouble in paradise and reconciliation does not appear to be an option. This is unfortunate as the couple are spending time at Brick’s parents home to celebrate his father’s birthday and to be there for support as Big Daddy (Burl Ives) receives the news of his current health condition.

     Brick is withdrawn and would have preferred not to return to speak to his father. However, because of the news of his father’s health and through the insistence of Maggie, he reluctantly agrees to attend the celebration. During the time with this dysfunctional family, we get a glimpse of why Brick has developed some, if not all, of his personality traits. The one most glaring trait is how similar he and his father treat their wives. That apple didn’t fall too far from the tree! His father, a narcissistic and uncaring person, considers himself a self-made man. Throughout the entire film, the father shows his favoritism towards Brick and all but ignores his other son. This creates friction between the two wives, who generally want to be included in Big Daddy’s will if and when he meets his demise.

     The story takes a unique twist as the father finds out that he is in-fact going to die an early death. He reflects on his life, with Brick, and they discuss his lack of love for the family. In the process, Big Daddy remembers his father who he indicates was a lonely hobo who couldn’t leave his son anything but a suitcase with some worthless clothes. He and Brick reflect on how his father left him with love, which is much greater than the vast fortune he is about to bestow upon his family. They both have an epiphany about the love for father and son, in addition to the love they have for their wives.

     Cat On A Hot Tin Roof should be viewed by all! This is an impeccable film that delivers on every level. Elizabeth Taylor was stunning in not only her performance, but in her sheer elegance and beauty throughout this film. Newman captured his role with the gusto worthy of an Oscar. This film took sultry and sexy to an entirely different level without being cheap and raunchy. I give it a solid five-star rating. In addition, I believe I am a Liz Taylor fan! If you’ve never seen Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, it’s a definite must see classic. Oddly enough, as Taylor passed away this year she has left us with more than just a suitcase. She has left a legacy of amazing films that will forever hold her place in American film history. Did I mention that I loved this movie! I have no idea how this movie missed out on an Oscar. Unthinkable!

That's How Matt Sees It!

Secondhand Lions

This is the kind of family movie I can appreciate. I had already seen Secondhand Lions when Matt asked me to review it; I was eager to watch it again.

The movie stars Michael Caine and Robert Duvall, two incredible actors, as eccentric brothers who are supposedly sitting on a small fortune. Walter is sent to live with his uncles by his mentally-absent mother. She asks him to find the fortune while she is in school. Unfortunately, Walter finds out that his mother has lied to him (nothing new) and is not attending school.

While he finds living with his uncles rough in the beginning, he get hooked on the stories they tell. If the stories are to be believed, his uncles were enlisted into the French Foreign Legion and fought many battles in Africa. His uncle, Hub, even fell in love with an Arabian princess and stole her from an evil sheik.

Once Walter has adjusted to living with his uncles he finds stability and peace for the first time in his life. No one has ever had time for Walter; his uncles have nothing but time. Predictably, once Walter finds happiness his mother returns and tries to remove him from his only true home. He begs her to stay and for once his mother puts him first and allows him to return to his beloved uncles.

In the end, the uncles die while attempting to fly an antique plane through the barn. Walter returns to the house and is not surprised to find the uncles have left their fortune to him. He is, however, surprised to find out their stories had all been true.

This movie is a gem. The comedy is real, not slapstick, it is shot beautifully and acted with a quiet grace. I not only give Secondhand Lions five stars, I highly recommend it to everyone, kids and grown-ups.

Michelle D. Kieffaber

Dunstin Checks In

I was not looking forward to watching this movie. I don’t have kids so I’m not a huge fan of family movies. I should always trust my instincts. Dunstin Checks In is not a terrible movie, but it is very formulaic.

The movie begins when we witness two adorable kids playing elaborate pranks in the lobby of a five star hotel. They happen to be the sons of the resident manager and live in the hotel. They are bored because Dad works too much and Mom has died.

The father promises to spend time with them once the major social event of the year, The Crystal Ball (pun intended, I’m sure) concludes. Unfortunately, the owners of the hotel have different plans for dad. Meanwhile the kids are grounded, however, they refuse to stay in the apartment.

While out and about, the little kid notices a monkey has checked into the hotel with a shady man. Of course none of the adults believe there is actually a monkey in the hotel. Therefore, the monkey and children are left to save the hotel from the exploits of the “bad man.” Yes, the hero of this movie is the monkey.

As a reward for capturing the villain, the father gets a promotion to a job where he can spend more time with the kids and … the monkey.

I’ll begrudgingly give the movie two stars. It wasn’t terrible, but there was nothing new and different. I didn’t find myself laughing at all.

Michelle D. Kieffaber