I didn't see this film in theaters because, well, it really seems like a chick-flick and I can only take so many of those before my head explodes. On the other hand, I'm far more willing to watch movies on DVD, so if I hate it at least I can make snide comments to my girlfriend without insulting the sensitive ears of the public.

So is Wimbledon a run-of-the-mill chick flick? In many ways yes, but far less so than I expected. I hate to admit it, but there were sequences in this film I actually enjoyed, and the parts I tend to roll my eyes at were far more tolerable than they could have been. Maybe it's the british thing - they can do the sappy routine in a way that doesn't seem nearly as trite. It's like Notting Hill - set in the U.S. that film probably would have been horrible, but set in London the humor has more wit behind it and that makes the in-your-face romance stuff easier to digest because you don't feel like you're intelligence is being insulted. I don't know, maybe I'm the only one who thinks this.

Anyway, Wimbledon does offer its share of witty humor that ultimately makes the film...dare I say...somewhat enjoyable, mostly thanks to our slightly bitter narrator played by Paul Bettany. He's a burnout tennis player who never really met his potential, but as he falls in love with a U.S. tennis star (Kirsten Dunst) during his final grand slam tournament, his game comes to life. Oh, sure, there's all of the normal stuff you'd expect, such as the rival player who's a dick head and used to date our hero's new girlfriend, but there's not so much of this stuff that you want to throw a pillow at the screen (which I've been known to do from time to time).

On a final note, I think Wimbledon would have been much better with someone other than Kirsten Dunst as the female lead. She's too scrawny to be a convincing tennis player; they should have cast an actress like Jennifer Biel, who has a more appropriate frame and seems like she could actually compete out there and not look like she's just pretending for a movie.

Posted December 27, 2004 | link | 0 comments

I feel bad for not even mentioning The Door in the Floor until now, which is easily one of the best movies of 2004 and should land some acting nominations as long as voters bother to watch it.

A character-driven film all the way, Jeff Bridges stars an eccentric writer who takes in a student who admires his work for a sort of summer intership. What ensues is hardly a lesson in writing so much as a demonstration of the kind of bizarre behavior that would be perfect to put in a book.


You see, Bridges' writer is currently on the outs with his wife, played by Kim Basinger - a result of a tragedy in which both of their sons were killed. This event is what drives the whole movie, and it's fascinating because we don't actually know what happened until the very end, creating a suspenseful curiosity throughout.

While the characters and drama are quite effective, where The Door in the Floor excels is with its unique brand of offbeat humor. There are a few scenes in this film that are downright hilarious and truly original. I would give some specifics of the plot and where these moments fit in, but I'd rather not spoil them for you. Perhaps you didn't even bother to rent this film because, I'll admit, on its surface it looks like some dull drama, but you should definitely give it a chance - you won't be disappointed.

Posted December 21, 2004 | link | 0 comments

Back when this action-packed sequel was playing in theaters I never got around to posting my thoughts on it, so now that it's on DVD I figured I'd give it a go. With The Bourne Identity I couldn't get past my affection for Robert Ludlum's novel (which was all but ignored in the movie), but because I never read the follow-up I was able to go into this film without any expectations.

Biased against the first film or not, The Bourne Supremacy is a huge improvement and it seems like Matt Damon could really turn this into a legitimate franchise - think of it as a smarter Bond, playing things straight-up without all of that wink-at-the-audience crap (not that Bond movies don't have their place).


I'd discuss the plot in detail but I'd rather not spoil it; let's just say Bourne is brought back into the spy/CIA mess he tried to escape in the first film, while still suffering from a spotty memory. There are some great twists along the way, both towards the end and at the very beginning.

If there's one thing about The Bourne Supremacy people will remember in a few years, it's probably going to be the car chase in Moscow. Think of the car chases from Ronin, but throw in a bit more realism as there are countless collisions and a lot of collateral damage, which you'd expect if cars are driving on the wrong side of the road. Great stuff - very intense. Anyone who appreciates espionage/intelligence thrillers should love this film.

Posted December 10, 2004 | link | 0 comments