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December 14, 2006
Playing at a Theater Near You...
Blood Diamond
The Gist: Have you ever heard people say there’s a ton of violence in the diamond industry and wondered what the hell they were talking about? Well, this movie will provide you with an answer or three (and some very graphic, realistic violence). As civil war rampages Sierra Leone, rebel forces enslave citizens to mine for diamonds. (And those citizens are the lucky ones! Many others have limbs hacked off or life sucked out of them completely or innocence stolen through rapes, etc.) The rebels sell the diamonds to “legitimate” diamond companies (through straw organizations of course) and use the proceeds to finance their war.
What Would Have Made this Movie Better: It was a tad on the long side. I looked at my watch for the first time about an hour and forty minutes in and couldn’t believe how quickly the time had passed. I looked at my watch for the second time about two hours in and couldn’t believe how slowly those last twenty minutes had passed. Aside from that minor defect, this one is very good.
Who Should See This: If you like films that educate, this one is for you. Leonardo DiCaprio plays a diamond smuggler and proves once again why he is the most talented young actor in Hollywood these days. So if you like him even a little, you need to see this. Jennifer Connelly looks amazing (as usual) and delivers a good performance, so if you like her, you should see this. (Much to my dismay, however, she did not have any love scenes.) Djimon Hounsou plays a Sierra Leone father who is enslaved by the rebels and who will do anything he can to be reunited with his family, which has been displaced by the thug rebel group. Hounsou delivers an amazing performance, so even if you’ve never heard of him, you’ll like him, trust me!
The Verdict: I was pleasantly surprised! This one should have done better at the box office. Much better. A-.
Bobby
The Gist: Well, well, well. The previews make this one look spectacular – we’re supposed to get an inside look at what happened the day Bobby Kennedy was assassinated. Unfortunately, that inside look features an examination of the lives of everyone that day except for Kennedy. What we’re left with are a bunch of somewhat interconnected storylines (only because by the end of the film everyone ends up at the hotel where Kennedy is shot) in which we see what people were doing the day Kennedy died. Two syllables: BOR-ING!
What Would Have Made this Movie Better: Actually showing us what Kennedy was doing that day would have been nice. The movie is titled “Bobby,” not “Everyone but Bobby.” I love historical stuff, especially contemporary American history, but this one is a total snoozer. I didn’t leave the theater knowing anything more about Kennedy than I did when I entered, and I admit, he’s not a person about whom I’m highly knowledgeable.
Who Should See This: The acting is all first-rate, but the story is just boring. So if you like seeing good performances, go take a look. If you want good performances and a good story, see something else, like Blood Diamond or The Departed or Lilo and Stitch.
The Verdict: D+.
Deja Vu
The Gist: In a terrorist attack, a ferry with numerous American servicemen blows up in New Orleans. Denzel Washington – who is always wonderful – is one of the law enforcement officials who arrives on the scene only to learn that something fishy is going on with the federal investigation. It turns out that brilliant federal scientists have figured out how to watch the past in the present – it’s basically like Tivo on speed, and I won’t even attempt to explain it. Eventually Denzel tries to transport himself into the past to save a young woman before she’s murdered because Denzel would very much like to explore her from the inside out, and I can’t say I fault him for that!
What Would Have Made this Movie Better: I’m about as scientifically inclined as Paris Hilton. But, even I knew the premise of what was going on in this movie was more unbelievable than a Harlem Globetrotters loss to the Washington Generals. With that stated, if you’re able to just overlook that major plot hole, this one is quite an interesting ride!
Who Should See This: Anyone who loves Halle Berry ought to take a look at the younger version of her. She’s named Paula Patton, and she’s going to be a star. Don’t see this if you want a really serious movie, but if you want a ride that doesn’t waste your time with too many car chases and too much action adventure nonsense, this one’s fun!
The Verdict: B+.
Comments
woot woot! now i'm all anxious to see blood diamond. hoorah social commentary and human rights awareness films! :D
Posted by: LM at December 14, 2006 10:59 PM
I should have pegged you as a Lindsey Lohan fan. Interesting.
Posted by: meg at December 16, 2006 12:24 PM
I admit to finding her very attractive when she was in the Mean Girls era. But now, not so much! The whole addicted to alcohol, drugs, eating disorder thing - doesn't work for me.
Posted by: Fool at December 16, 2006 02:00 PM
you mean girls AREN'T supposed to weigh 85 pounds? huh. that's not what the magazines tell me!
Posted by: LM at December 16, 2006 04:41 PM
