November 2008

This Week in Foreign Film

/ / Film News & Trailers
  • Title: Ashes of Time Redux
  • IMDB: link

The 1994 film about a broken-hearted hit man who exiles himself to the desert only to find a skilled swordman to carry out his work is re-edited by director Kar Wai Wong as his definitive version of the film.  Li Bai, Leslie Cheung, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Carina Lau, and Brigitte Lin star.  Check out the official site.  After a month in limited release the film opens in other cities on Friday.  Larger trailer available in the Full Diagnosis.

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This Week in Foreign Film

/ / Film News & Trailers
  • Title: A Christmas Tale
  • IMDB: link

The dysfunctional Vuillard family is brought together for a Christmas reunion in this new film by Arnaud Desplechin.  Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Paul Roussillion, Anne Consigny, Matthieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Devos, and Chiara Mastroianni star.  Check out the official site.  The film, presented in French with English subtitles, opens in limited release in select cities on Friday.  Larger trailer available in the Full Diagnosis.

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Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
  • IMDB: link

“Hurry up before we all come to our senses.”

More.  That’s the simple explanation to what you get with the new sequel to Madagascar – more lions, more zebras, more giraffes, and more hippos.  More of those crazy penguins and more zany adventures.

An attempt to fly back to New York in a plane rebuilt by the penguins (Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Christopher Knights, Conrad Vernon) gets the gang off the island of Madagascar, but soon crashes them into the nearby continent of Africa.

There’s much happening here including Alex (Ben Stiller) reuniting with his long lost mother (Sherri Shepherd) and father (Bernie Mac), the mechanations of a lion (Alec Baldwin) who wants to be King of the jungle, Marty (Chris Rock) finally living out his dream as part of a herd, the penguins attempt to rebuild the plane with the help of some local grease monkeys, the return of that mean old granny (Elisa Gabrielli), and Melman (David Schwimmer) dealing with feelings for Gloria (Jada Pinkett Smith).

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Role Models

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Role Models
  • IMDB: link

David Wain, an alum of basic cable sketch comedies The State and Stella, has always understood the clichéd studio picture.  His latest two pictures, Wet Hot American Summer and The Ten, have more closely resembled parodies of the trite mainstream lightweight drama than they have functioned as their own picture.  So then what, we may ask, is Wain doing directing a big-budget comedy from Universal Pictures?  The notion almost seems hypocritical; but luckily Wain proves that his comedy chops isn’t restricted to Indie material.

In Role Models, friendly co-workers Danny (Paul Rudd) and Wheeler (Seann William Scott) are forced into a month of community service after a traffic accident left their monster truck perched atop a High School mascot’s statue.  The judge decides the two’s service will be for Sturdy Wings, a sort of Big Brothers Big Sisters service that links adults to kids with adult role models.

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Rachel Getting Married

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Rachel Getting Married
  • IMDb: link

“I am Shiva the Destroyer and your harbinger of doom for this evening.”

Kym (Anne Hathaway) is released from rehab for her sister Rachel’s (Rosemarie DeWitt) wedding.  Although sober, Kym is still a bit shaky with deep unresolved issues which will be brought into sharp focus over the course of the weekend.

Director Jonathan Demme, having learned much from his time making documentaries, gives us a chance to view the action as if we are one of the other guests attending the wedding.  The natural low-key approach gives the film a loook at feel more like a documentary than a feature film.  There are several moments including the rehearsal dinner where the events unfold so naturally I wonder how much, if anything, was scripted.

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