Eraser

Eraser (1996)

Director: Chuck Russell
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Vanessa Williams, James Caan, James Coburn

Lee Cullens (Williams) finds herself in danger when she uncovers a governmental secret that threatens national security. She must then enlist the help of U.S. Marshal John "The Eraser" Kruger (Schwarzenegger), who makes it his duty to "erase" people's existence, but can he keep her under the radar long enough for her to testify against the enemy? When going into a Schwarzenegger film, one is not expecting "Forrest Gump" or a movie with any particular message or agenda. One is expecting explosions, big guns and to be taken on a thrilling cinematic ride. The problem with "Eraser" is that it does not deliver. The movie does not have the elemental qualities that made Schwarzenegger's previous films ("The Terminator, Predator) such successes. It does not have originality, suspense or jaw-dropping chase scenes. Rather it comes off more like a run-of-the-mill predictable action flick, with strained action sequences and flat, boring characters. It is one of Arnold's most forgettable movies.

Death at a Funeral

Death at a Funeral (2007)

Director: Frank Oz
Cast: Matthew Macfadyen, Keeley Hawes, Andy Nyman, Daisy Donovan, Alan Tudyk, Peter Dinklage

Death is an extremely troubled and complicated time for the family and friends of the deceased. This is the lesson that the characters of "Death at a Funeral" come to find out as they try to proceed with a funeral in lieu of the crazy and unbelievable mishaps that keep presenting themselves as obstacles. The movie provides some undeniably hilarious sequences, including one of the funeral goers unknowingly dropping acid, the wrong corpse being brought to the funeral and a cranky old men wreaking havoc on the guests (to name a few). The film continually adds to the absurdity of the situation, that the audience cannot help but find the film funny from beginning to end. The only weakness of the film comes at the end, when the movie takes an unnecessary detour into the realm of sappy resolutions that seem more like a quick fix than an appropriate ending. All in all, the movie is genuinely funny and will surely provide much needed entertainment.

Match Point

Match Point (2005)

Director: Woody Allen
Cast: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Scarlett Johansson, Emily Mortimer, Brian Cox

Woody Allen produces with "Match Point" one of his most entertaining (and suspenseful) films. Chris Wilton (Meyers) is a moderately successful tennis instructor who seduces one of his wealthy students, Chloe Hewitt (Mortimer). Upon becoming acquainted with her family, Chris meets Chloe's soon-to-be sister-in-law, Nola (Johansson) and is quickly taken by her. He soon finds himself in hot water as he must then struggle between his intense attraction to Nola and the comfortable lifestyle which Chloe and her family have to offer. Plots such as these are not unfamiliar to audiences, but Allen handles this story with flare, maneuvering the film away from the unpredictable and cliche. The audience cannot help but find themselves engaged in the film, which supplies quite a surprising and clever climax. With "Match Point," Allen proves that his talent transcends genres, that his genuis lies simply in making a quality film. It is nice to see, after a series of mediocre movies, that Woody has finally got his groove back.

Milk

Milk (2008)

Director: Gus Van Sant
Cast: Sean Penn, James Franco, Emilie Hirsch, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna

Gus Van Sant has crafted one of his finest works in "Milk." The movies tells the true story of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to office in California who was later assassinated, along with Mayor George Moscone. Quite easily, this film could have portrayed Harvey Milk as a saint, but it doesn't. Rather, it cleverly details Harvey Milk's life realistically, give Harvey Milk a human tone, giving him both strengths and weaknesses, which leaves the audience to better understand who he was and what made him tick. And one cannot walk away from this film without mentioning the incredible performances, mainly from Sean Penn in the lead role. Penn does not play Milk as much as he embodies him, giving his performance such a precise attention to detail, that one thinks that they are actually watching Harvey Milk himself. By the end of the film, when Gus Van Sant shows footage of the actual people and the candle light vigil held after Milk's death, the audience knows that they have seen movie-making at its best.

The Day the Earth Stood Still

The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)

Director: Scott Derrickson
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Kathy Bates, Jaden Smith, John Cleese

A remake of the 1951 sci-fi classic of the same name, "The Day the Earth Stood Still" tells the story of alien's arrival on Earth. An alien representative Klaatu (Reeves), comes to deliver a message to the human race, only to be met with violence and intolerance. But through the help of Helen Benson (Connelly) and her son (Smith), Klaatu soon discovers the duality of human nature, both the ugly and the beautiful. While this movie is pumped up with lots of special effects and loud noises, the action never really catches the audicence's attention nor does the audience ever really feel the true threat that the aliens bring with them. The character of Klaatu is never very engaging, as Reeves uses the excuse of his character's alien origin to be flat and boring rather than (!) act. Connelly and Smith certainly pull their weight, but it is not enough to keep this movie afloat. By the end, the audience will leave and most likely forget ever having seen this movie.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)

Director: Mark Herman
Cast: Asa Butterfield, Vera Farmiga, David Thewlis, Jack Scanlon, Amber Beattie

Germany, World War II. An affluent German family moves to the countryside in order for the father (Thewlis), a high-ranking officer in the Nazi army, to carry out his duties of overseeing a concentration camp. His son, Bruno (Butterfield), lonely in his new setting, befriends a young Jewish boy imprisoned in the camp, ignorant of the nature of the concentration camp and the dangers that it presents. Based on the novel by John Boyne, "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" has good intentions backing its storytelling and a cast that effectively and sensitively portrays each of the characters. However, the movies gets bogged downs by these very same characters, as their actions seem more archetypal than they do realistic in their actions. This leaves the movie seeming emotionally manipulative, attempting too earnestly to make its audience fully understand its message. "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" certainly makes its audience feel for the situation; its only flaw is that it tries too hard, making the story and characters transparent rather than fully developed.

No Country for Old Men

No Country for Old Men (2007)

Directors: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson, Kelly Macdonald

"No Country for Old Men," based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy, tells the story of a man named Llewelyn Moss, who unwittingly happens upon a bag of money deserted after a violent shoot out. Deciding to take the money, Moss unleashes a hellish storm of violence while also attracting the wrath of a particularly cold-blooded killer, Chigurh (played to perfection by Bardem). "No Country" is a brillantly filmed gem. It has cinematography that sets the perfect tone for this somber tale. The desert locale emanates a mysterious albeit dangerous quality that impressively compliments the movie's action. The characters in this film could easily have been overplayed, but the actors managed to craft subtle perfomances, giving their characters depth and range not often found in cinema. Tommy Lee Jones offers another great performance as a sheriff that acts more as an obsever to the chaos that goes on around him. But what stands out the most is the pacing. The film flows with such ease that the audience cannot help but become fully involved in its intricate storytelling. With "No Country," the Coen brothers have truly outdone themselves.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

Director: David Fincher
Cast: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Julia Ormond, Taraji P. Henson

"Benjamin Button" tells the story of a boy who, born as an old man, ages in reverse. During his awkward development, he falls in love with a girl named Daisy, who comes to accept this peculiarity. Loosely based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the movie is most definitely infused with its own brand of originality as it examines life and the unique age when people are at their prime, not too young and not too old. The movie creatively uses a stylistic approach by utilizing a grainy film quality in the beginning of the movie to compliment the time in which the action is taking place as well as other subsequent scenes (including an extremely amusing sequence in which an old man recounts the numerous times he was hit by lightning). The film suffers from only one fatal setback: length. The film continues on for much too long, extending scenes that could easily be cut in half. However, the movie remains entertaining, with exceptional performances provided by its first-rate cast. A worthwhile view.