Seth Paxton

Mr. Deeds
2 of 10
I'm a big Sandler fan, but this is a bigger misfire than Little Nicky. Yes the stupid voice is gone. Sandler is back to being his best character - the lovable good guy underdog with a knack for punching someone out. In that regard this could have been just as solid as Happy Gilmore.

BUT...some horrifyingly bad writing for most of the film just ruins it. Real groaner type jokes had me scratching my head right from the start. Even the funny trailer jokes are mostly worse when placed in context. Terrible timing and structure. Worst of all is that in there somewhere was the chance for a great comedy. A lot of wasted talent and story potential.

Dana Fillhart

DVDs (24 Feb 2006): Discs - 2579, Titles - 1688 (Avg. 17 Titles/Month) • Films I\'ve Seen: 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001

Dana Fillhart

DVDs (24 Feb 2006): Discs - 2579, Titles - 1688 (Avg. 17 Titles/Month) • Films I\'ve Seen: 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001

Lowell_B

Updated my list with:

Adaptation. (***1/2 / ****)

While Adaptation isn't a home run in the vein of Being John Malkovich, it's a solid triple. (Okay sorry for the baseball analogy )

Highly original and very funny, Adaptation is marred by a weak third act which sadly drags the movie down. Nevertheless, it's still a really good movie which will probably slip into the bottom of my top 10 list.

Catch Me If You Can (***1/2 / ****)

Who really cares that it's not as serious as some of Spielberg's latest efforts, anytime a movie is as entertaining and funny as this he can go on making movies like this for the rest of his days. Definately one of the best of the year and the 2nd of 2 fantastic movies Spielberg has made this year.

Lowell

Jason Seaver

Updated with Gangs Of New York, which I enjoyed the heck out of until the end, where Scorcese seems to forget what story he wants to tell. Lands just outside my top 10. ½

Updated with The Pianist, a very uneven film that is sometimes arresting but sometimes distant.

And, gads, I've had enough "based on a true story" to last a lifetime in the last few weeks in Antwone Fisher, Evelyn, Catch Me If You Can, Gangs Of New York(?), The Pianist... Make something up, darn it!

Jay's Movie Blog - A movie-viewing diary.
Transplanted Life: Sci-fi soap opera about a man placed in a new body, updated two or three times a week.
Trading Post Inn - Another gender-bending soap, with different collaborators writing different points of view.


"What? Since when was this an energy ball movie?" - Overheard during a screening of Takashi Miike's Dead Or Alive
"What the hell religion are you people?" - Overheard during the Captain Marvel serial at SF/29
"If I feel even one bullet hit me, I will rip your lungs out through your nostrils!" - Ron Silver as himself, "Heat Vision And Jack"

Seth Paxton

I saw Catch Me If You Can again, no change in my opinion of very good but slightly flawed.

On to the new film, copied from the review thread:

Chicago
10 of 10

This is not Moulin Rouge, a musical I happened to love. However, it carries the same power, the same lust for life, the same energy as that film, albeit in a jazzier stage-like package. As a musical brought to film it's divine, making the most of the unique medium and it's ability to cut between reality and fantasy.

The songs were already top notch as the accolades the stage show received could attest to, but the performances here will still surprise you. Most of all Richard Gere nearly steals the show with 2 of the best sequences as the clever, controlling, fast-on-his-feet defense lawyer. That's not to say the Zeta-Jones, Zellweger, Latifah, and even John C. Reilly don't impress almost as much with their numbers.

A good musical makes you want the next song to start up right after the last one ended. For me, this film did that. Jazzy, sexy, cool, fun, all in the spirit of Fosse of course.

If you like musicals at all, this is a homerun for you. If you normally hate them then this is a maybe. If you liked Moulin Rouge you may or may not like this one so give it a shot. And if you like hot girls in sexy outfits doing sexy dances...definitely the flick for you.

Has to be a front runner for this year's Best Pix Oscar.

2007 film list 2005 film list 2004 film list 2003 film list 2002 film list

JohnS

Jason Seaver

Updated with About Schmidt. ¼

Jay's Movie Blog - A movie-viewing diary.
Transplanted Life: Sci-fi soap opera about a man placed in a new body, updated two or three times a week.
Trading Post Inn - Another gender-bending soap, with different collaborators writing different points of view.


"What? Since when was this an energy ball movie?" - Overheard during a screening of Takashi Miike's Dead Or Alive
"What the hell religion are you people?" - Overheard during the Captain Marvel serial at SF/29
"If I feel even one bullet hit me, I will rip your lungs out through your nostrils!" - Ron Silver as himself, "Heat Vision And Jack"

John Spencer

Never heard of this. I'm a honky.

Edwin Pereyra

Updated with The Two Towers - a film that succeeds on its own. A visually arresting film that manages to entertain.

~Edwin

DVD Unwind: Paradise Now (Coming) • King Kong - - • Keane • The Squid And The Whale • A History Of Violence • Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire • The Best Of Youth (Italy) • Good Night And Good Luck • Howl\'s Moving Castle • Walk The Line - - • Zathura • North Country - -


= Standouts
= Recommended
- - = Indifferent


Quality matters more than quantity.

Film Lists: 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002 • Best Films of 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001 • Foreign & Independent Films: 2005, 2004, 2003