Category Archives: Imperfect

2009, Acceptable for children, Acceptable Trash, Corny, Imperfect, Melodrama, Sex Scenes

The Other Woman (2009)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

Romance becomes reality for Emilia Greenleaf (Natalie Portman), who wins the heart of the handsome object of her affection (Scott Cohen), only to find that the relationship comes with some very real baggage — including her new beau’s troubled son (Charlie Tahan). Don Roos directs the film adaptation of Ayelet Waldman’s compelling novel, co-starring Lisa Kudrow, Lauren Ambrose and Elizabeth Marvel.

As B-level melodramas go, this one is not a complete waste of time. At the very least Natalie Portman (Emilia) is easy on the eyes, although she doesn’t come across as a great actress. For some reason, her speech seemed downright ordinary, as in American high school. Or perhaps I am harsh. Am I correct in assuming that her character was almost purposely a “home wrecker” ?

Scott Cohen was adequate as the husband, although he did not have to do very much but look concerned. He played in Love and Other Drugs (2010) but I cannot remember having seen him.

Charlie Tahan as the precocious son William played Ethan in I Am Legend (2007). Tahan was well-coached and did his part perfectly.

Most fun for me was watching Lisa Kudrow (who in my mind will always be Phoebe from “Friends”). It is hard to believe that she is now 48 years old. She has never been a great actress but in this film she is really believable as a hard-nosed, determined, resentful, controlling b _ _ _ h. Still her character exhibits some almost noble qualities on one occasion.

Sorry, but for me the ending was a bit too “goody good goody”.

2005, Imperfect, Mediocre, Plot Twist, Psychological Thriller, Redemption, Suspense

The Lazarus Project (2005)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

Ben (Paul Walker) thought his life was over when he was sentenced to death by lethal injection. But following his execution, he awakens to a whole new world. After learning he’s been hired as a groundskeeper at a crumbling psychiatric facility, Ben realizes he’s earned a second chance. But whether he’s truly come back from the dead — or never died in the first place — remains a mystery. Linda Cardellini and Piper Perabo co-star.

Do NOT see this film. Instead see Shutter Island (2010).

In a certain sense this film is the reverse of “Shutter Island”. If Dennis Lehane had not written “Shutter Island” in 2003, I would have suspected he was inspired by “The Lazarus Project”.

Watch it if you must, but see if you don’t object to the following: Our hero is ending his prison probation with a job that seems to require no computer skills. Skip ahead to the “Shutter Island”-like captivity and finally he is so clever that he suddenly develops an amazing ability with computers. Moreover he is so clever that his captors give up without much fight. I just don’t buy it.

2000, Crime, Detective, Direct to Video, Imperfect, Mediocre, Mystery Film, Plot Twist, Psychic Phenomena, Serial Killer, Suspense

Eye of the Killer (2000)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

After a blow to the head, haggard Det. Mickey Hayden (Kiefer Sutherland) acquires an extraordinary new ability: He can visualize the owner of anything he touches. This homicide-solving talent comes in handy when Hayden gets assigned to the hardest case of his life. A serial killer named Jabberwocky has resurfaced, pinning a note to his most recent victim challenging Hayden to stalk the murderer again in this direct-to-video thriller.

Despite being a mediocre film about psychic phenomena, the plot has some good surprises (including the very end). Alcoholic, depressed detectives are now such a cliche. And why do they often hang out in gay bars when they are really straight ? The fact that this film is a direct-to-video should be enough of a warning.

Is this damning with faint praise ?

2007, Complicated, Drama, Imperfect, Love Story, Mediocre, Suspense

Premonition (2007)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

Housewife Linda Hanson (Sandra Bullock) is devastated when her husband (Julian McMahon) dies suddenly in a car crash. But when he reappears the next day as if nothing had ever happened, she realizes the tragedy might have just been a premonition. The question now is, can Linda prevent the horrible event from happening again, or is she powerless to redirect fate? Amber Valletta and Nia Long also star.

Most Sandra Bullock films have been date films. They are light hearted films that make Kathy and me laugh and have a good time. In The Blind Side (2009) she gets a little more serious. As far as I can recall “Premonition” is one of her few serious films. Although Rotten Tomatoes
gives a really low rating, the story itself kept me interested.

For me Julian McMahon will always be the womanizing plastic surgeon from “Nip/Tuck” (whose first few years were outrageous fun to watch).

Probably the story kept me challenged because it was a bit difficult to understand the time sequencing. Call me a romantic but I just wanted to see love triumph.

Sadly, the writers saw fit to have this poor depressed housewife visit a Catholic priest to hear a lot of maudlin nonsense. This part was high on the “Yuck”-o-meter.

If you think about it, who caused the husband’s death ?

All is all, a B-movie that is not horrible.

1991, Crime, Drama, Imperfect, Love Story, Melodrama, Mystery Film, Plot Twist, Revenge, Suspense, Violent

Dead Again (1991)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

Los Angeles gumshoe Mike Church (Kenneth Branagh) takes the case of a woman (Emma Thompson) beset with amnesia and soon makes the startling discovery that he and his client are connected — via reincarnation — to a lurid, 40-year-old murder. Branagh is convincing as an American private investigator, and he gets fine support from Thompson (his real-life wife at the time) in this inventive modern noir thriller.

Give a ‘B’ to this somewhat dated film. However, it is just plain fun to see a lot of actors at a young part of their lives. After all, the film is almost 20 years old and a lot can happen in 20 years (such as Branagh and Thompson getting a divorce). Some of the actors are:

  • Kenneth Branagh who speaks a credible American sprinkled here and there with a few choice curse words. He plays two roles.
  • Emma Thompson speaks British. She plays two roles.
  • Who would have thought that Derek Jacobi was ever young. Recall him as the stuttering “I Claudius” ? He even manages to stutter in this film.
  • A year after this film Wayne Knight was the unforgettable “Newman” from “Seinfeld”
  • Andy Garcia you know well. Don’t miss the scene in which he is an old man dying of throat cancer from a lifetime of smoking. He speaks through a hole in his Adam’s apple. He begs Branagh for a cigarette and smokes it through the same hole.
  • I did a double-take. “That can’t be Robin Williams, can it?”. Sure enough!

The acting sometimes breaks down. Amazing to see how technology (cellphones, etc) would have completely changed the scenery in just 20 years. Still it was fun seeing handsome and beautiful people in their prime.

2001, Could Be Hard To Watch, Crime, Detective, Drama, Drugs, Horror, Imperfect, Medical Theme, Mystery Film, Occasional gore, Suspense, Violent

From Hell (2001)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

Johnny Depp stars as an opium-huffing inspector from Scotland Yard who falls for one of Jack the Ripper’s prostitute targets (Heather Graham) in this Hughes brothers adaption of a graphic novel that posits the Ripper’s true identity. Ian Holm and Robbie Coltrane co-star in this genre-bending drama that marked Albert and Allen Hughes’s laudable attempt to break out of their pigeonhole as “black directors.”

Dark, gory, not Depp’s best. In a sense this is a mystery story: who is Jack the Ripper ? It’s almost as this film goes out of its way to discredit the Victorian power structure and especially the royal family. Give this film a shaky B and find something else.

2009, Could Be Hard To Watch, Drama, Imperfect, Mediocre, Occasional gore, Revenge, Suspense, Violent

Law Abiding Citizen (2009)

1 Comment

From NetFlix:

Traumatized by the atrocious murders of his wife and daughter — and the flawed justice system that set the killers free — Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) gives in to his rage and sets out on a course of vengeance. He soon takes on not only the prosecutor involved in the case, Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx), but also the city of Philadelphia. Director F. Gary Gray’s bold crime thriller co-stars Viola Davis and Michael Gambon.

Ever since Dear Frankie (2004) I have been waiting for Gerard Butler to become a good actor. Alas! In the current potboiler he is somewhat adequate. His character, Clyde Shelton, is unbelievably omnipotent. As I see it, the only reason to watch this mediocre film is to see all the tricks Clyde plays on Jamie Foxx and the rest of Philadelphia. Vengence sets the entire tone of this film.

Warning: There are almost gratuitous gory and violent scenes. Don’t say I didn’t stress the mediocrity of this film.

2008, Comedy, Complicated, Could be boring, Drama, Imperfect, Love Story, Scam Artists

The Brothers Bloom (2008)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

The Brothers Bloom made a name for themselves as the world’s best con men. Now, the younger (Adrien Brody) is ready to retire on the millions the pair has swindled. But when his brother (Mark Ruffalo) lures him into one last job, he reluctantly agrees. What he hasn’t counted on, though, is falling for their mark, an adventure-seeking heiress (Rachel Weisz). Robbie Coltrane and Babel’s Rinko Kikuchi co-star.

Yet another “who’s conning whom ?” film. At times was slow (boring ?). But there were so many wonderful sight gags that I just burst out laughing. If you are a busy person, there are better choices than this B-film.

2008, Drama, Feel Good Not For Children, Imperfect, Redemption, Religious Theme, Revenge, Suspense, Violent

Gran Torino (2008)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

Curmudgeonly Korean War veteran Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood, who also directs) must confront his Hmong immigrant neighbors — and his own long-held prejudices — when the family’s teenage son, Thao (Bee Vang), tries to steal Walt’s beloved 1972 Gran Torino. Walt soon assumes the unlikely role of guardian angel to young Thao and his sister Sue (Ahney Her), both of whom are vulnerable to local gang influences.

“Gran Torino” tells a good story with bad guys and good guys as black and white as a cowboy movie (after all, it’s Clint Eastwood). But Walt’s personality isn’t so clear cut and to his credit is able to grow and change. Enjoy the story even if you have to sometimes suspend disbelief. What’s wrong with the Lone Ranger arriving just in time to save the day ?

As for the acting, I sadly give it a B. Thao sometimes just reads his lines. His sister is a much better actor (N.B. it is no longer politically correct to use the word “actress”).

And the more I think about it, Walt’s final solution was just about perfect. Have fun!

2006, Detective, Drama, Imperfect, Not Feel Good

Hollywoodland (2006)

1 Comment

From NetFlix:

When George Reeves (Ben Affleck), the actor who famously played the Man of Steel in TV’s “Adventures of Superman,” turns up dead, a dogged private eye (Adrien Brody) investigates and unearths a string of strange secrets. Diane Lane and Bob Hoskins also star in this gritty noir-style drama based on the true story of one of Hollywood’s most infamous mysteries, a film that marks television director Allen Coulter’s feature film debut.

For all the name stars in this film, it could have been better. Adrien Brody carries the story as a private detective trying to solve a possible murder. Ben Affleck gets a chance to act in a serious role. Give the film a B, but it is still watchable.

So, what really happened ?