Jim Chastain - Movies

Some Mini Reviews Ghost Town A likeable enough film. It won't wow you or anything, but it's a fun redemption story. -- Rating B Mamma Mia! I know some people who loved this movie, but for me everyone on screen seemed to be trying way too hard to convince us they were having a good time. -- Rating C plus Traitor A pretty good film with strong performances -- Rating B Tropic Thunder Sometimes works, sometimes stalls -- Rating B minus You Don't Mess With the Zohan - Hmmm, let's see... Adam Sandler as a pumped-up Jewish gigalo. Rob Schneider as a Palestinian missing his goat. Gross-out humor. Slapstick. Middle East jokes. Yes, I would agree. Don't mess with the Zohan. -- Rating: C minus Appaloosa - A Textbook Western Appaloosa is a decent Western with two strong performances. Although it's not particularly gripping, it holds your interest, which is saying something these days. Beyond that, it's a leisurely paced, beautifully filmed movie. The story's pretty textbook, a slightly different take on everything from John Wayne to High Noon to Eastwood's spaghetti Westerns to Blazing Saddles. The bad guys (led by Jeromy Irons) have taken over the town, so the jittery citizens have to find a hired gun or two (Ed Harris and Viggo Mortenson) to clean things up. Except for Renee Zellweger's intriguing character (but rather ho-hum performance), there are no major surprises. No, this is more about acting than it is writing. And here two performances lead the way. Ed Harris (who also directs) turns in another dynamic performance in a career loaded with them. As an aging Marshall with anger management issues, he is thoroughly captivating. Even better, arguably, is Mortenson as Harris's quiet sidekick and best buddy. He couldn't be more interesting. Though good, Irons has little to work with. The film's major flaw, apart from predictability, is its failure to present bad-enough bad guys. Rating B minus Burn After Reading - What Did We Learn? Burn After Reading is another crazy Coen brothers’ comedy in which oddball characters take precedence over story and the message, if any, is left wide open for interpretation and debate. The film is enjoyable enough, especially compared to most of the other schlock being offered this year. And yet, the film never moves much beyond amusing. Burn After Reading is filled with A-list stars like George Clooney, Brad Pitt, John Malkovich, and Frances McDormand, not to mention other notables like J.K. Simmons and Tilda Swinton. Each is fun in their own way. And yet they all seem to be in competition for who can create the best weirdo, in the Coen brothers’ sense. Many will cite Pitt’s zany turn as a fitness trainer, while others will point to Clooney as a womanizer or Malkovich’s take on anger management or McDormand's nervous obsessive compulsive tendencies. I liked Simmons the best, because his character, dares to ask: “What, if anything, did we learn?” And the answer goes something like this: “Not to do it again, whatever it is we did.” Rating B The Dark Knight - Holy Smokes, Batman! Holy Smokes!! I don't know what I can add to the ongoing dialogue about the latest Batman flick beyond what has already been said. Much has been written. But I'll give it a shot. The Dark Knight isn't a masterpiece, but it is exceptional, heads above most movies made and near the very top of the ever growing catalogue of superhero films. It makes Ironman look like a clunker and Hancock look like an even bigger embarrassment than it is. So much discussion about Heath Ledger. Is it all hype over a tragic death? No. This is one of the best film performances I've ever seen. I'm serious. The Joker may be the only character who could make Javier Bardem's monster from No Country for Old Men turn and run away. Christian Bale was a bit puzzling however. I can't say that he was great. Yes, the film is dark. Exceptionally dark. Brooding, existential, creepy. Or, as some have said, haunted. And in going so dark, it becomes one of the better "thinking" films of the year. Rating: A minus Hancock - Two for the Price of One Hancock is the most schizophrenic film I've ever seen. Seriously. The first half, involving bad-boy superhero Hancock's PR makeover and hopeful redemption, soars through the skies, like a bird, a plane, a... well, you get where this is going. I truly wondered what all the negative press was about. But wait a minute. Just when you're convinced you're seeing something special, the film tanks like no other film before it, sinking faster and deeper than the Titanic, and I don't mean the movie. It's as though two different directors filmed two different screenplays and then pasted them together, one good and one miserably awful. Indeed, the second half of Hancock is so bad that the first half becomes a dim memory, quick forgotten, leaving a bad taste in your mouth, like sushi that's sat out on the counter for a week. Two films, for the price of one really bad movie. Despite a spectacular beginning, the overall film still qualifies as one of the worst of the year, which is saying something. Charlize Theron should be ashamed, turning in one of the lousiest performances in recent memory, thanks in great part to anincredibly lousy role. But still, she stinks it up, big time. Will Smith fares somewhat better, but only somewhat. Perhaps the most amazing aspect of this film is Jason Bateman's memorable performance. Somehow, Bateman gives one of the best supporting performances of the year in the midst of all the muck. Who'd a thunk? But Hancock still sucks, even compared to other stinkers in what has proven to be a pretty bad summer at the movies. Rating C minus
Dinner and a Movie? Well, I finally made it over to one of the Warren Theatre’s two grand auditoriums for a “balcony experience.” That’s the place to go, they say, if you want to get the biggest bang for your movie buck. Or, in this case, for eighteen bucks a seat. For those of you who enjoy living a first class lifestyle, or at least dabbling in one every now and then, there’s really no cinematic comparison in Oklahoma, at least to my knowledge. We begin with reserved seats. That means you don’t have to arrive at the theater forty-five minutes early in order to see a blockbuster film (they only put the biggest grossing films in the two grand auditoriums). You can get there ten minutes early if you want, or even arrive late, and your seat is still waiting for you. Next, you have one of the best seats in the house, spacious, with plenty of elbow room and an incredible view of the huge screen. And because the seats are so spread out on what appears to be higher rows, there’s very little chance of having your view partially blocked if some six foot seven guy sits on the row in front of you. And then you have the seats themselves. They’re oversized--that is, much bigger than the theater’s “normal” seats, which are already large. Plus, they’re extremely comfy and as warm as you wish, for the seats have built-in seat warmers. Just ask and one of the attendants will bring you a footrest for even greater comfort. Meanwhile, you and your significant other may order from the theater’s impressive restaurant menu, with a fair amount of food and drink options, including, if you’re interested, adult beverages. The choices are reasonably priced, and the portions served are generous, if not large. Plus, in my humble opinion, the food is good. A balcony experience at the Moore Warren is certainly not cheap. A couple begins the night at $36 and goes from there, depending on how hungry and thirsty they are. But many (like me) will find the overall experience to be worth it, especially when you consider the pampering and reasonably priced food. There are many restaurants that would cost as much without the opportunity to see a good film (knock on wood) and all the extra creature comforts. My wife wants to go back at least once a month. That’s quite an endorsement. The Best Movie Theater in Oklahoma The fabulous Warren Theater has now opened in Moore, America, on Interstate 35, right next to the Wal-Mart, the Lowes, the new Furr’s, and many rows of strip malls. It’s a curious decision, to place what has been touted as the nicest movie theater in America smack dab in the middle of what has always been considered a blue collar town. Yeah, I know what they say — that Moore has one of the highest grossing zip codes in the state within close proximity to the theater. But reputations are difficult to change, and it would be hard to make the case that Moore is an entertainment destination, rather than a drive-through. Still, I don’t want to be a cynic. I want to believe that the good citizens of Moore will buck the nationwide trend and flock in droves to the theater. I want to believe that the Warren will attract some from Oklahoma City (north, not south) who want to avoid Bricktown’s parking issues. I even want to believe that folks from Norman will drive to Moore, forgetting city rivalries for the sake of going to a really nice theater. But I’m also hoping that poetry will make a big comeback, so there you go. Anyway, I attended the grand opening ceremonies with all these hopes in mind, and let me just say I was quite impressed. Oh, I’ve been to the Warren Theaters in Wichita, so I knew what to expect. But still, it’s rather shocking to step into the Warren after watching movies at the Spotlight 14 for years. It’s kind of like the moment when Dorothy steps into Oz, and the film turns from black and white to color. The Warren is already the best theater in Oklahoma, hands down. The only theater that’s even in the ballpark, in my opinion, is the Poncan in Ponca City. I mean the Warren has it all. Ginormous screens, oh-so comfy seats, curtains that rise as the film is about to begin, digital projectors, balcony restaurants that serve adult beverages, and real butter on the popcorn! The friendly staff has been trained to make you feel you are living the life of luxury and to forget about those tornado sirens blaring in the distance. Opening night was a spectacular event, even though I opted to watch George Clooney’s Leatherheads, a so-so film, C plus on my scale, and despite the fact that one speaker seemed to be speaking a different language. But since then I’ve been several times. I saw Ironman there, supposedly the “best-reviewed” film of the year. But I was underwhelmed. Ironman is good enough I suppose, for a summer film. But it’s no better than a B with all that back story and testosterone. Still better films will come, surely, and that speaker is probably resting comfortably in some junkyard by now. Want to have fun at the movies again? Well, consult your favorite critic, pick a good film, and then head over to the Warren. That should do the trick.
My 100 Favorite Films of All Time 1. It’s a Wonderful Life 2. Casablanca 3. The Graduate 4. Dr. Strangelove 5. Monty Python and the Holy Grail 6. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest 7. To Kill a Mockingbird 8. North by Northwest 9. Rear Window 10. Sling Blade 11. Schindler’s List 12. Ikuru 13. Lost In America 14. Glory 15. All About Eve 16. Strangers on a Train 17. The Apartment 18. Ben Hur 19. A Christmas Carol (w/Alistair Sim) 20. Rebel Without a Cause 21. Being There 22. On the Waterfront 23. The Godfather 24. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid 25. Dances with Wolves 26. The Bicycle Thief 27. Memento 28. Sense and Sensibility 29. Rebecca 30. Jaws 31. Captains Courageous 32. Forrest Gump 33. The Sound of Music 34. Ponette 35. Marty 36. Oliver 37. The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters 38. Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life 39. Almost Famous 40. Apocalypse Now 41. The Wizard of Oz 42. Gone with the Wind 43. The Awful Truth 44. The Sting 45. Pulp Fiction 46. American Beauty 47. The Deer Hunter 48. Groundhog Day 49. Buffalo 66 50. Amadeus 51. Twelve Angry Men 52. Waking Life 53. Moulin Rouge 54. Amelie 55. Notorious 56. Citizen Kane 57. Chariots of Fire 58. Wuthering Heights 59. The Shawshank Redemption 60. Sunset Boulevard 61. Lost Horizon 62. The Manchurian Candidate 63. The Fellowship of the Ring 64. Miracle on 34th Street 65. Sleuth 66. The In-laws 67. The Hours 68. Edward Scissorhands 69. A Little Romance 70. Animal House 71. Psycho 72. Julius Caesar 73. Gunga Din 74. Manhattan 75. It Happened One Night 76. The Grapes of Wrath 77. Big 78. Shakespeare in Love 79. The Bishop’s Wife 80. My Favorite Wife 81. Toy Story 82. Atonement 83. The Gold Rush 84. Dr. Zhivago 85. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 86. Life is Beautiful 87. Oklahoma 88. Return of the King 89. Sideways 90. Harvey 91. Hud 92. The Shop Around the Corner 93. The Third Man 94. City Lights 95. Vertigo 96. Heaven Can Wait 97. The Good Earth 98. Broadcast News 99. Fargo 100. The Fugitive	The Ten Best Films of 2007 2007 was one of the best years for movies in the twelve years that I’ve been reviewing films. That is to say, more films received grades in the A range than I can ever remember. In fact, it wasn’t even close. Unfortunately, most of these films have failed, so far, to attract big box office returns. Reach your own conclusions on that point, but it’s probably not a good sign. For the most part, the year’s best films were smaller releases, or films that did not hit the theaters until the very end of the year. So there’s still time to rectify things. Perhaps after reading this article, you’ll have the chance to go see some of these great films that truly deserve your support. So here’s my list of the year’s best films, followed by a list of a few others I loved and a few that I didn’t. 1. The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters While there were many great films this year, and any of the films in my top four could have been named the “year’s best,” no film left me more cinematically exhilarated than this crazy documentary by director Seth Gordon. The film follows average joe Steve Wiebe as he attempts to break the world record for the classic Donkey Kong video game—a record held by super video geek Billy Mitchell. While that premise may sound less than exciting, I promise you it’s not. What follows is a very captivating story, more human and funny and heartbreaking than 99% of the films made recently. And the craziest thing is it’s true. 2. Atonement Here is the rare film that equals or perhaps even surpasses the critically acclaimed novel upon which it is based, Ian McEwan’s bestseller of the same name. This period piece drama has it all: great directing, superb acting, incredible sets and detail, spectacular cinematography, a riveting score, and that uncanny ability to let the suspense build throughout. It even has some wicked surprises, such that even M. Night Shyamalan would be envious. *3. There Will Be Blood* A haunting film that reminds me, curiously enough, of Citizen Kane, primarily I suppose because it is an examination of a remarkably despicable character, the sum product of a series of rotten choices. I’m not usually a big fan of films that do nothing more than show bad people doing bad things, but this film offers so much more: a fascinating glimpse of the early days of oil and gas mining; an eerie character contrast between a tough oil man and a wily preacher; and the best acting performance of the year by Daniel Day Lewis. *4. The Diving Bell and The Butterfly* Wow! This mesmerizing French film held me captive from beginning to end, much like the dilemma of the film’s protagonist, Jean-Dominique Bauby, a former editor of Elle magazine, who suffered a stroke at the age of 42 that rendered him incapable of moving anything but his left eye. This is a true story that is uplifting and inspirational, but also very, very sad. We experience in a unique way what it means to suddenly go from being “normal,” to being handicapped in the most horrific way. Still, the human spirit in this film makes it a must see. 5. Michael Clayton A great film, especially if you’re interested in the law and the high dollar corporate world. The story is about a law firm’s “fixer,” the guy who has to go in a clean up all the really nasty legal messes into which the firm is entangled. The main players in the cast (George Clooney, Tilda Swinton, and Tom Wilkinson) are all likely to receive Oscar nominations, so this will be viewed by some as an “actor’s film.” Also, the screenplay is a bit complicated and slow at first, at least until you begin to unravel what’s going on. At that point, the film takes off and never stops till it delivers the goods. *6. Lars and the Real Girl* This incredible little film walks a fine line between whimsical fable and black comedy, but somehow pulls it off. The story concerns a very lonely, polite, likeable, yet fairly disturbed young man who purchases a blow-up sex doll and escorts her through a small town as though she is his real life girlfriend. While it sounds pretty twisted and absurd, the film is actually hilarious and sweet. I absolutely loved it, and Ryan Gosling turns in one of the year’s best acting performances along the way. *7. Into the Wild* This beautiful “based on a true story” film from director Sean Penn haunted me for days afterward. Based upon Jon Krakauer’s nonfiction bestseller, the film tells the tragic tale of a young man from a privileged background who decides to drop out of society and live on his own out in the wild Alaskan frontier. Part travelogue, part road trip flick, part tragic drama, the film reminded me of Grizzly Man, a documentary from two year’s back. The film ponders two deeply held and often conflicting human desires: adventurous wanderlust and the desire to find home. Ouch, but only in a good way! And Hal Holbrook’s supporting performance really shook me up. *8. Once* This little musical film from Ireland is hard to describe other than to say it has that movie magic that so many films do not. The story is about two talented artists, an on-the-streets singer/songwriting guitarist and a pianist, who find each other for a brief moment and make some incredible music along the way. For those even slightly interested in music, this film soars. For everyone else, it’s only really, really good. *9. Charlie Wilson’s War* This is a slick Hollywood production, that’s for sure, with all the bells and whistles you would expect from a film starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. Still, the film finds its way because of the incredible story it has to tell, that is, how a little known, somewhat scandalous Texas politician got a burr under his saddle about the Soviet Afghan war in the 1980’s and helped end the Cold War. Hanks turns in his best work in years, but Philip Seymour Hoffman steals the show. And the ending, especially considering where we are right now, is horrifying. *10. (tie) Juno and Waitress* I can’t decide which of these films I liked the best, so I’ll cheat and put them both in my top ten. Juno, about the plight of a pregnant high school teenager, is more realistic, more interesting in terms of dialogue, and it has Ellen Page’s break-through lead actress performance. Waitress, however, about the plight of a small town waitress with big dreams and an awful marriage, is hilarious and has some of the best supporting performances of the year (including, oddly enough, Andy Griffith), not to mention a dynamite performance by Keri Russell. Honorable Mentions Four other films received A minus ratings from me and could have been placed in the bottom half of my top ten list. And so, you can’t go wrong with Away From Her, 3:10 to Yuma, The Simpson’s Movie, and Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (as long as you can stomach films about really bad people doing really bad things). Also, Enchanted was one of the year’s best films, until the last fifteen minutes, and Ratatouille was a whole lot of fun, if you can shake off the whole rat-making-my-dinner gross-out feeling. Eastern Promises was quite good too. Dishonorable Mentions I’m sorry, but I think the Coen Brothers’ No Country for Old Men is by far the most overrated film of the year. I just don’t get what all the hype is all about, for I found the film disappointing, unsatisfying, and untruthful, although exceptionally made. So I never jumped on board the "you must love this film or you're an idiot" bandwagon. Knocked Up was the second most overrated film, but Margot at the Wedding was very close. And 300 was hilariously over-the-top in terms of blood, testosterone, acting and bad dialogue.
More of Jim's reviews may be found at http://www.rottentomatoes.com/author-3222 .