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July 23, 2007
Playing at a Theater Near You
1408
The Gist: John Cusack’s character writes book about his adventures staying at “haunted hotels” across the country. Cusack believes in ghosts and haunted things about as much as I believe in O.J. Simpson’s innocence. However, it doesn't take long for Cusack to becomes a big believer in all things spooky once he spends a little time in Room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel in New York City! (You would become a believer too because, well put it this way, “There’s some funky shit going down in that room, and it’s got nothing to do with sex.”) Samuel Jackson plays the manager of the Dolphin, and much to my surprise, he didn’t completely overact in this movie. To the contrary, he actually played his role quite well and refrained from his typical random shouting sessions.
What Would Have Made this Movie Better: I really don’t know. I can’t think of specific things; I just know it wasn’t great. I enjoyed one female audience member’s comment when she saw Cusack trying to keep warm on the floor after the haunted room lowered the temperature to sub-freezing levels. “Oh, he must have hemorrhoids!” A bit of a non-sequitur, but amusing!
Who Should See This: If you generally like the fascinating, warped mind of Stephen King, take a peek! However, The Shining is a much better haunted hotel film.
The Verdict: Much like this review, the movie isn’t great. Unlike this review, the film is somewhat entertaining. C+
Sicko
The Gist: In his latest “documentary,” Michael Moore takes on the American healthcare system, chronicling its inequities while praising the Canadian, French, and Cuban systems! As usual, Moore cherry picks evidence to make his case, but he definitely makes you think about the American system and whether we should embrace universal health care. I really don’t know if we should or shouldn’t. Do you?
What Would Have Made this Movie Better: Not much! I thought it was really well done, and I’m hardly a Moore-sympathizer on a ton of issues. I also don’t eat as much food as he does, but that's not really relevant.
Who Should See This: I think this is the second best Moore film. (I rank them as follows: 1. Bowling for Columbine. 2. Sicko. 3. Roger and Me. 4. Fahrenheit 911. 5. The Big One.) If you like any of his other stuff or are just really interested in health care issues, you should definitely venture to your nearest theater (but only if the theater is actually showing this movie; otherwise, it wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense for you to go to the local theater).
The Verdict: A-
Comments
You know, I enjoyed Bowling for Columbine until Michael Moore camped out in front of Charlton Heston's house with the picture of the little dead girl. That's when Moore lost me. It was too much, at least for this viewer.
Roger and Me was good. I liked it. I thought Fahrenheit 9/11 was a bit over the top. GOOD, but a bit over the top.
Sicko is currently playing at our "art-house" theater. I'll check it out ABE. (Yes, that's After Bar Exam.) :)
...and 1408 looked stupid. That's why I haven't seen it yet. :)
Posted by: Faith at July 24, 2007 03:34 AM
Is there anything wrong with an entertainer sounding the wake-up alarm when it comes to healthcare in this country? Hats off to Michael Moore for bringing the inefficiencies of our system to our attention. I am 'sicko' hearing the cliche: 'We have the best healthcare in the world' when the truth is we have the most expensive, inefficient, fragmented system in any industrialized nation, with the poorest outcomes. The problem is that every player in the system has their own agendas: the patient, the payer, the insurer, the provider, and the government with its CMS. Providers, for example, have free reign to provide as much service as they can get away with regardless of medical necessity. This applies to hospitals, physicians, home health agencies, and multiple others whose incentive is to sell their product and let others pay for it. The answer: prioritize where the dollar goes and control utilization. It cannot be done under the present system. If it has to be so-called universal healthcare then so be it and bring it on.
Posted by: charlesclarknovels at July 24, 2007 09:03 PM
You missed the only good Michael Moore movie ever made: Canadian Bacon starring John Candy, Rhea Perlman and Alan Alda.
To me Michael Moore is like Jenine Garafalo (I dont care how to actually spell her name), he used to be sort of funny, now he thinks his perspective should matter and you begin to realize that he is fat, ugly and obnoxious. Like the move Cats and Dogs with Garafalaolgalda and Uma Thurman, mildly humorous, garakakfack plays an ugly woman who wants to get the man so she uses her hot uma or something, whatever, point is, vote republican or the terrorists win.
Posted by: pretty at July 26, 2007 09:51 PM
