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Mar 19th, 2008 - 07:43:02 |
Untraceable
Starring Diane Lane, Billy Burke, Colin Hanks and Joseph Cross. Written by Robert Fyvolent, Mark R. Brinker and Allison Burnett. Directed by Gregory Hoblit. Rated R. Now playing.
by Kirk Vanderbeek
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and here it is … the perfect date movie. Assuming you’re planning on murdering your sweetheart … Let’s assume you’re not going to do that though and continue.
In Untraceable, Diane Lane portrays Jennifer Marsh, an FBI agent who spends her work hours hunting down cyber criminals, mostly of the credit card fraud and sex offending variety, but one day a sinister and untraceable Web site is brought to her attention. Killwithme.com initially features a live stream of a dying kitten (see what I’m saying? Ultimate date flick of ’08!), but eventually the ante is upped and live human beings start appearing on the site, their deaths accelerated based on the number of active viewers … and it seems as though perhaps there is more rhyme and reason to the series of murders than initially meets the eye.
Production-wise, this is an above-average cat-and-mouse thriller, but in terms of thrills and chills I found it to be slightly substandard. It’s no Seven (5 stars), but it’s also no Don’t Say a Word (2). The scariest thing about the film is the fact that something like this is not all that unbelievable. Especially the twisted fascination people in the film have with visiting killwithme.com, despite the fact that they’re aiding in murder. I mean, how many people do you think check the Web site as soon as they get home from the theatre? How many of you are thinking about doing it right now? Go on. Go kill a kitten you creeps. | RDW
Killers and Their Crazy Clues
by Kirk Vanderbeek
Se7en (1995)
This is, in my opinion, the finest the killer/thriller genre has to offer. The murders are beyond grotesque and inventive, Freeman puts in such a great performance that he’s been typecast as the wise, worldly, grizzled detective ever since, David Fincher directs the hell out of a positively brilliant script and the climax is gut-wrenching, heart-pounding, brutal and yet somehow strangely subtle. It’s flawless, and I think time will tell that it’s also timeless.
Saw (2004)
Please stop making these movies. This one was pretty fun but the sequels have to end. By the time the credits rolled on this first Saw flick it was clear that it was a dead horse and they just keep kicking it and kicking it and kicking it and kicking it … Oh well, despite its copious flaws and some seriously questionable acting, this movie served its purpose: it made people jump, it was gross and the twist ending was pretty decent.
Zodiac (2007)
Pure class. What was really admirable about Zodiac (despite the fact that the film was able to produce so much tension out of an unsolved crime) was its simplicity. It went for zero cheap thrills, and that is just so damn admirable for a “thriller.” This was also proof that not only is David Fincher one of the single finest working directors in the film industry, but when it comes to serial killer flicks, he’s clearly the right man for the job.
How She Move
Starring Rutina Wesley, Dwain Murphy and Tre Armstrong. Written by Annmarie Morais. Directed by Ian Iqbal Rashid. Rated PG-13. Now playing.
by Kirk Vanderbeek
Raya Green is back in the hood. Her brains got her out and attending an esteemed private school, but a family tragedy has left her without the funds to pay for her tuition, so she’s slumming it again; back at the high school from whence she came where tensions run high. But Raya wants back out, and she quickly discovers that her skill for stepping might be her ticket, so she joins a step crew and starts to prep for a big showdown in Detroit.
It’s not that How She Move was bad. It wasn’t. It was worse than bad; it was mediocre. Completely and utterly mediocre. The whole film was one note, no real highs, no real lows, just one even-keeled, boring, mediocre note. The dialogue was occasionally really trite; “Hi, I need to deliver a plot point right … NOW!” trite. And I don’t know, the stepping was OK but it definitely didn’t blow me away. If the routines would have been really impressive, or maybe even just shot better, the movie might warrant another star, but they were the same note as the rest of the film; the key of B(oring).
If MTV would have just taken out the swearing, advertised on their “music” channel for three months and then had a big primetime TV premiere, that would have been much more appropriate. Don’t make us go to the theatre for this … | RDW
Note By Note: The Making of Steinway L1037
Directed by Ben Niles. Not rated. Playing at the Detroit Film Theatre, 1/31.
by Kirk Vanderbeek
Following the construction of a Steinway concert grand piano, L1037, through the year-long creation process, this beautifully made documentary explores the amazing artistry and passion that goes into the creation of one of these incredible instruments, delving into the enthusiasm and zeal of both the workers who devotedly make them and the musicians who lovingly make them make music.
Note By Note stands as proof positive that as long as a documentary is both skillfully and adoringly made that absolutely anything can be gripping. Pianists will go absolutely wild over this film, but even as someone who can only plunk out “Heart and Soul,” I too was transfixed. The attention to detail in both the filmmaking and the piano’s construction is incredible, and the film is so earnest it becomes almost romantic: a love song to the instrument responsible for so many.
Remember those bits on Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood about how things were made? Well, think of this film as the ultimate version of that; beautifully shot and wonderfully edited. As the camera floats through the workshops you can almost smell the fresh-cut wood. When I saw a Steinway price tag at the beginning of the film my jaw dropped, “How could a piano possibly be worth that much money!?”. By the end, after following the piano’s journey from the wood-selection process in Alaska through its final tuning, it seemed like a steal. | RDW
U2 3D
Starring Bono, The Edge and those other two dudes. Directed by Catherine Owens and Mark Pellington. Not rated. Now playing.
by Thomas Matich
Is it safe to say that U2 is the biggest band in the world? I can’t think of any other group that can do a 3D IMAX concert film (aside from The Rolling Stones – but who wants to see Keith Richards in 3D? not I!) and be taken somewhat seriously. The concept is certainly over the top, but we’re talking about permanently sunglassed Bono with his humanitarian mumbo-jumbo and The Edge’s famous percussive plucking. I’ve yet to see U2 live, but I’ve watched a few concert films and I’ve gathered that they put on a great big budget live show that often leans more on Bono’s showmanship, innovative special effects and stage designs than musicianship (they can play, without a doubt, don’t get me wrong).
Distributed by National Geographic, U2 3D is the first live action concert film shot exclusively in digital 3D video. It succeeds because it truly is more than just a live music video; I was top tapping, head bobbing and singing most of the time. Having Bono in your face and a holographic Edge strumming over your shoulder is a visual treat. The flinging arms in the crowd and bulging neon lights shimmering add to the aura, making for the best seat in the house as Bono does his thing on the runway. I’m aware that it might not be cool to dig U2, but they’re a fucking fantastic band with some incredible songs that are on full display here with premium sound and delicious eye candy. Grab those 3D glasses and touch Bono’s shades! | RDW
dvd in play
by Thomas Matich
Inside The Smiths
TIB Street Films
DVD
Inside The Smiths attempts to shed some light on what it was like to be a Smith when the band was playing Top Of The Pops and The Manchester Palace, taking the world by storm with a brand of ‘50s, Oscar Wilde, Andy Warhol influenced Brit-rock that was left-field to the rest of the music being churned out in the ‘80s. The documentary follows former bassist Andy Rourke and self-proclaimed “punk drummer” Mike Joyce over the course of three years, capturing intimate conversations and recollections. For most Smiths fans, there is not much to be found on this documentary that one wouldn't already know. Rourke battled heroin addiction, which was touched on, but not as deeply as the DVD box claimed. Troublingly, there is no Smiths music or live, uncovered footage to be found, just screen wipes of press shots and a bonus scene where Joyce shows off some cassettes of lost material … which we don’t get to hear!
Brief interviews with Peter Hook and The Buzzcocks add little to the impact of this exposé. Joyce and Rourke both detail how the band got along together quite well, with Morrissey comfortable in his black sheep role, adding a needed dynamic. Musically, the two claim the Smiths wouldn’t be the same without Rourke’s funky bass or Joyce’s drums. Both men are proud of what the band accomplished and one gets the sense that they really would like to see the four-piece regroup. With no insight from Morrissey or Johnny Marr, this doc leaves many questions unanswered and the possibility of a reunion forever unlikely. | RDW
film score
American Psycho
Various Artists
Koch Records
Do you like Huey Lewis and the News? Patrick Bateman would ask you that right before he slammed an axe into your head if you were actually in American Psycho. Maybe if you said yes and also claimed to listen to the tracks on this fantastic soundtrack, Patrick might consider sparing your life. Then you two could sit back, compare business cards (is that bone?) and listen to Eric B and Rakim, David Bowie and New Order. Eighties music aside, John Cale of the Velvet Underground produces a fantastic score for the movie and some of his wicked work comes on this soundtrack with Christian Bale waxing philosophy over it. If you can get past the creepiness of his rants then you will most definitely enjoy this disc from one of my favorite movies ever. — ERIC ALLEN
cult coffin
Cigarette Burns
A bankrupt movie theatre owner with a blood-soaked past is hired to track down a cursed horror movie, Le Fin Absolue du Monde. The film was presented only once at a film festival and drove the audience into an insane frenzy that ended in bloodshed. If he can find this unholy grail he’ll be able to pay off all his debt … but he might not make it out alive. — ANDREA BONAVENTURA
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