Shooter

Coming off of his astounding performance in Martin Scorsese's The Departed, Mark Wahlberg shows why he is one of the finest actors in the business. In Shooter, Wahlberg plays an ex-military man who is brought back in to try to stop a possible assassination of the President. Or so we think. Along the way, Wahlberg gets setup by the villainous Danny Glover and the scheming Senator, played by Ned Beatty.

Aside from a story line that seems to wander at times, the film works well with Wahlberg in the lead. What really works well in the film is use of the camera to tell the story. Using a mixture of shots, director Antoine Fugua, known mainly for Training Day, creates a film that has sustained suspense. B+.

Reign Over Me

While many people have a deep affection toward Adam Sandler, he once again proves in this film that he is a single-dimensional bit player. Although Don Cheadle manages to salvage this debacle of a film - not to mention a boring film - Sandler just doesn't cut it as the disturbed widower. Sandler plays former dentist Charlie (and believe me, that name gets really annoying when you hear 878 times throughout the film), a man who loses his family during the 9/11 attacks.

What the film attempts to do is capture the essence that propelled Robert Redford's Ordinary People in 1980. However, the film falls flat. Unlike Timothy Hutton, who played the disturbed son in Ordinary People, Sandler can't make it work in Reign. While Hutton's performance is seamless and believable as he copes with the unfortunate death of his brother, Sandler comes off as someone not suffering from a deep depression, but someone who is severely schitzophrenic. It appears that Sandler doesn't need therapy; rather, he needs an exorcism.

All in all, Reign is a bad film. Moreover, it's boring. Don't waist your time with this one folks. D+.

Will the real Stan Grossman please stand up?

As I was bored out of my mind a couple weeks ago during a weekend blizzard, I decided to pop in one of my favorite films - Fargo. As I started watching it, I found that I had forgotten just how great it really was. What I also realized was that there was a blatant character similarity between Fargo and Little Miss Sunshine. A character who appears as a savvy businessman in Fargo, Stan Grossman, also appears in the film Little Miss Sunshine. Speaking to a film professor recently, I learned that the character reference in Little Miss Sunshine was probably more of an homage than an error in character. In Fargo, Larry Brandenburg plays the wealthy businessman Grossman. In Little Miss Sunshine, Bryan Cranston, notably from Malcom in the Middle, plays the character. Both characters are similar in that they are spoken of quite highly in each film, but they ultimately end up making the lead males angry.

Zodiac

Is it just me, or has Robert Downey, Jr. been cropping up in some great roles lately? In Zodiac, Downey steals the show as a journalist who struggles with substance abuse. But that's not really the story here. The film revolves around the Zodiac killer who killed numerous individuals in the late 60s and early 70s. Along with Downey, Jake Gyllenhal fits perfectly into his role as a comic artist for the local newspaper. However, when the Zodiac case breaks open, Gyllenhal's character, Robert Graysmith, becomes intrigued by the unfolding murders.

The film, directed by the ever talented David Fincher, shows us why Fincher is a great director. He is able to keep us intrigued for the whopping two hour and forty minute running time. Not many films today would risk being so long, but Fincher and company manage to pull it off. My only gripe with the film is that, like Hollywoodland, there isn't necessarily a major resolution. However, without spoiling the film for others, it plays as a great period piece that will surely stand highly next to Fincher's other works, including Fight Club, Seven, etc.

The supporting cast is also a force to be reckoned with. Anchored by Mark Ruffalo, the major players in the film all create a sense of mystery that works well within the given context. Moreover, the other supporters, including the likes of Brian Cox, Elias Koteas, and Philip Baker Hall fits squarely in the time period that the film is set. With all of the testosterone running rampant on screen, it's up to Chloe Sevigny to reign in. She does just that. The underrated actress shows why she is one of the finest in her generation as she plays the wife of the obsessed Graysmith. A.

Reno 911!: Miami

Although I am not a self-proclaimed fan of the series, Reno 911!: Miami provides a great dose of farcical comedy. With the Reno gang on a trip to Miami for a police convention, chaos ensues as the group is forced into action when a large hotel containing police officers becomes quarantined. The group then must manage the streets of Miami. It's a perfect example of great comedy with little point.

The film is able to go places that the show never could - expletives are bleaped out and the sexual inuendo is in full force. It's not a film to bring little kids to, but it sure is funny. With the success of Borat coupled with the success of this film, look for every screwball comedy to surface during the coming year. A-.

Wild Hogs

Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence, William H. Macy, and John Travolta do their best to entertain for an hour and a half. Although there are a few funny points to Wild Hogs, many of the laughs seem forced and predictable. It's really too bad the writers didn't try for more with this one, seeing as the cast was so great.

As four men venture out on a male bonding experience that takes them on a trip through the south, they accidentally blow up a biker roadhouse. Ray Liotta, in a role that seems to work well for him, leads the roadhouse gang to find and severely hurt the heroes. While the film has a good premise, it just falls flat. There are too many cliches along the way. It's a valiant effort, but it just doesn't work. C+.

Ghost Rider

Coming off of his tear jerking performance in Oliver Stone's World Trade Center, Nicholas Cage does little to show his Academy Award worthy-side as the title character in this latest comic book to film adaptation. While the film is not overly smart, it doesn't try to be either. Consider this to be another Fantastic Four style film - it's good but it's not Spiderman 2.

While the plot involves Cage battling Satan and his cronies, which might seem a bit over the top, the film does justice to a comic book hero that is not well known. The film's major accomplishment is the effects that are extremely well done. The lavish fight sequences, along with an even superior soundtrack, leaves the viewer believing that this might not be so bad after all.

The main problem with the film is that the story is weak at best. The whole idea of fighting Satan is a little too sacharine for the viewer seeking something smart. However, with the great box office receipts enjoyed on opening weekend, look for Ghost Rider 2 to hit theatres soon. B-.

Oscar Reactions

Well, I was right for the most part. Unlike all of those crazy people out there who had Babel and Little Miss Sunshine pegged to win Best Picture, I stuck to my guns and predicted that The Departed would win. The only thing I really messed up on what the incorrect choice of Eddie Murphy. It didn't surprise me, however, that Alan Arkin won.

Just so you know, here are the winners. There are stars (*) by the winners that I correctly predicted.

Best Picture: The Departed*
Best Director: Martin Scorsese*
Best Actor: Forest Whitaker*
Best Actress: Helen Mirren*
Best Supporting Actor: Alan Arkin
Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Hudson*
Best Original Screenplay: Little Miss Sunshine*
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Departed*