Review: Oscar-Nominated "About Schmidt" a Dry Affair

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 37 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux


About Schmidt (2002)
Running time: 125 minutes (2 hours, 5 minutes)
MPAA – R for some language and brief nudity
DIRECTOR: Alexander Payne
WRITERS: Jim Taylor and Alexander Payne (from the novel by Louis Begley)
PRODUCERS: Michael Besman and Harry Gittes
CINEMATOGRAPHER: James Glennon
EDITOR: Kevin Tent
Academy Award nominee

DRAMA with elements of comedy

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Kathy Bates, Hope Davis, Dermot Mulroney, June Squibb, and Howard Hesseman

Before they won an Oscar for the meandering road film/midlife crisis tale, Sideways, the team of director/co-writer Alexander Payne and co-writer Jim Taylor fashioned the meandering road movie/geriatric life crisis, About Schmidt.

In the film, Warren R. Schmidt (Jack Nicholson) has just retired from his job as an insurance actuary. He is dealing with the fact that he thinks that his life has been a waste. Warren is also preoccupied by the things about his wife, Helen (June Squibb), that have always bothered him; in retirement, those things are really starting to work on his nerves. After Helen dies suddenly, Warren heads to Denver where his daughter, Jeannie (Hope Davis), is nearing her wedding to a waterbed salesman, Randall Hertzel (Dermot Mulroney), whom Warren doesn’t like. Warren hopes to dissuade Jeannie from marrying Randall, but Warren also has to deal with Randall’s eccentric family, including his mother, the lusty Roberta (Kathy Bates). But will this trip give meaning to Warren’s life?

In spite of its Oscar-nominated pedigree, About Schmidt is mostly an average film. Jack Nicholson gives a fine performance as Warren Schmidt, but you feel sorry for the character more than you root for him. That’s not necessarily bad, but considering that this film’s tone is more pathetic than poignant, it’s difficult to not find this entire scenario and the characters a little annoying. Kathy Bates gives a nice performance, trying to make her Roberta Hertzel more than just a one-note oddity. James Glennon’s photography certainly captures the essence of a soul adrift that is the core of the lead character.

However, no Payne/Taylor film is without its moments that help an average film be a little more interesting. The better elements in Sideways made it a good film, overcoming stretches of dryness; About Schmidt gets a bump, but not as much as Sideways. The film’s opening scene, in which Warren watches the clock tick away the last minutes of his career, is art itself, and the closing of the film brings some heart and heat to this cold and dry affair.

5 of 10
B-

NOTES:
2003 Academy Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Actor in a Leading Role” (Jack Nicholson) and “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” (Kathy Bates)


2003 BAFTA Awards: 1 nomination: best actor (Nicholson)


2003 Golden Globes: 2 wins: best motion picture actor-drama (Nicholson) and best screenplay-motion picture; 3 nominations: best picture-drama, best director-motion picture, and best supporting actress-motion picture (Bates)

Sunday, February 19, 2006

Review: "Night at the Museum" Proves that Mediocre Can Still Be Good

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 256 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

Night at the Museum (2006)
Running time: 109 minutes (1 hour, 49 minutes)
MPAA – PG for mild action, language, and brief rude humor
DIRECTOR: Shawn Levy
WRITERS: Robert Ben Garant & Thomas Lennon; from their screen story based upon the novel by Milan Trenc
PRODUCERS: Chris Columbus, Shawn Levy, and Michael Barnathan
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Guillermo Navarro
EDITOR: Don Zimmerman

FANTASY/COMEDY

Starring: Ben Stiller, Carla Gugino, Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, Bill Cobbs, Jake Cherry, Ricky Gervais, Robin Williams, Kim Raver, Steve Coogan, Mizuo Peck, Rami Malek, Charlie Murphy, Paul Rudd, Patrick Gallagher, and Owen Wilson

Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) is a good-hearted dreamer who thinks he’s destined for something big, but his lack of a steady job means he’s always being evicted from his apartment. He’s also a divorced father with a 10-year old son, Nick (Jake Cherry). His ex-wife, Erica (Kim Raver), delivers an ultimatum: Nick can’t stay with Larry until Larry has a stable living situation. Nick certainly has that with Erica, an attorney, and her new husband, Don (Paul Rudd), a bond trader, and Nick admires Don, which bothers Larry a little.

Larry eventually gets a job as a night watchman at the Museum of Natural History, where an extraordinary thing happens when the sun goes down. At night, all the exhibits come to life. Mayans, Roman Gladiators, and cowboys emerge from their dioramas to battle one another. African mammals, cavemen, and even Attila the Hun (Patrick Gallagher) roam the halls of the museum at night. The one exhibit Larry can turn to for advice is a wax statue of President Teddy Roosevelt (Robin Williams), that comes alive on his black stallion and helps Larry get the denizens of the museum under control.

The magical happenings at the museum come with one stipulation – nothing must enter or leave the museum at night. Still, something does go wrong. Larry has to stop a nefarious plot in order to save the museum and its inhabitants and maybe prove himself in his son’s eyes.

Night at the Museum is one of those films that work best during the feel good Christmas holidays. Warm and fuzzy, this family flick is chock full of magic and a sense of wonder. It also looks and acts like the mid-90’s CGI creature rampage movie, Jumanji, and some of the CGI and special effects look dated. The writers over-emphasize Larry’s quest to be a good dad, and some of the humor is forced. The writers make the women in the movie stock characters, and they’re little more than accessories to make male characters feel better about themselves.

Director Shawn Levy does give the film the same kind of frothy fun he did with the 2003 holiday hit, Cheaper by the Dozen. Night fairly hums with mystery and enchantment, thanks in no small part to Levy’s creative team. Cinematographer Guillermo Navarro, whose specialty is fantasy and supernatural films (From Dusk Till Dawn) and even family films (Stuart Little and Spy Kids) creates a look for the movie that is a sweet mix of charmed sepia and gooey warmth. Costume designer Renée April does work worthy of Oscar notice with a variety of costumes that span the history of human clothing, and Alan Silvestri’s score hits all the right notes in creating an atmosphere of action, adventure, magic, and mystery.

Ben Stiller tends to play characters that are edgy, smart-mouthed and sometimes annoying, but his Larry Daley is a good guy. He’s more genial than jerk, and Stiller has a nice way of making Daley’s smarty attitude always bubble under the surface without ever coming up. Jake Cherry makes a lovable son, and Robin Williams is subdued.

In spite of its faults and missteps, Night at the Museum is just that kind of movie that can turn an adult who isn’t too jaded into a kid wide-eyed at the wonder and magic of what is essentially an entertaining and amusing children’s movie.

5 of 10

B-

Sunday, December 24, 2006

--------------------------

Writers Guild of America Honors "The Hurt Locker," "Up in the Air"

Last night (Saturday, February 20, 2010), The Writers Guild of America Awards went to Up in the Air (best adapted screenplay) and The Hurt Locker (best original screenplay), the films that were expected to win. Thus, both films are leading contenders to win the Oscars in those respective categories.


However, at the Oscars, The Hurt Locker will also be up against two films that were disqualified from guild competition – Inglourious Basterds and Up, although I don’t expect either to win in this category.

In its category, Up in the Air will face off against three films disqualified by the WGA, Oscar nominees: An Education, District 9 and In the Loop, although, again, I don’t expect Up in the Air to lose to any of these films.

2010 Writers Guild of America Award Winners:

SCREEN WINNERS

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Hurt Locker, Written by Mark Boal; Summit Entertainment

Other nominees: (500) Days of Summer, A Serious Man, Avatar, and The Hangover

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Up in the Air, Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner; Based upon the novel by Walter Kirn; Paramount Pictures

Other nominees: Crazy Heart, Julie & Julia, Precious, and Star Trek.

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
The Cove, Written by Mark Monroe; Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions


TELEVISION WINNERS

DRAMA SERIES
Mad Men, Written by Lisa Albert, Andrew Colville, Kater Gordon, Cathryn Humphris, Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton, Brett Johnson, Erin Levy, Marti Noxon, Frank Pierson, Robin Veith, Dahvi Waller, Matthew Weiner; AMC

COMEDY SERIES
30 Rock, Written by Jack Burditt, Kay Cannon, Robert Carlock, Tom Ceraulo, Vali Chandrasekaran, Tina Fey, Donald Glover, Steve Hely, Matt Hubbard, Dylan Morgan, Paula Pell, Jon Pollack, John Riggi, Tami Sagher, Josh Siegal, Ron Weiner, Tracey Wigfield; NBC

NEW SERIES
Modern Family, Written by Paul Corrigan, Sameer Gardezi, Joe Lawson, Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, Dan O'Shannon, Brad Walsh, Caroline Williams, Bill Wrubel, Danny Zuker; ABC

For a complete list of winners, visit http://www.wga.org/

Review: "Wild Hogs" is Funny and Charming

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 53 (of 2007) by Leroy Douresseaux

Wild Hogs (2007)
Running time: 99 minutes (1 hour, 39 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for crude and sexual content, and some violence
DIRECTOR: Walt Becker
WRITER: Brad Copeland
PRODUCERS: Brian Robbins & Michael Tollin and Todd Lieberman
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Robbie Greenberg (director of photography)
EDITOR: Christopher Greenbury and Stuart Pappé

COMEDY/ADVENTURE

Starring: Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence, William H. Macy, Ray Liotta, Marisa Tomei, Kevin Durand, M.C. Gainey, Jill Hennessy, Dominic Janes, Tichina Arnold, Stephen Tobolowsky, Jason Sklar and Randy Sklar

In the comedy, Wild Hogs, four middle-aged friends decide to take a cross-country road trip on their motorcycles. It’s the buddy comedy times four, and although it might be mediocre compared to an Oscar wannabe, Wild Hogs delivers laughs every time just like reliable fast food and a cold Coke.

Doug Madsen (Tim Allen), Woody Stevens (John Travolta), Bobby Davis (Martin Lawrence), and Dudley Frank (William H. Macy) are the “Wild Hogs,” weekend motorcycle enthusiasts who enjoy riding their bikes to a local biker bar where they drink beers. This mismatched foursome is beset by stressful jobs and family obligations, so Woody talks them into hitting the open road for adventure. The trip starts off rough, but in spite of some misadventures, they’re having fun.

However, these biker wannabes get more than they bargained for when they encounter the real-life biker gang the Del Fuegos. Their leader, Jack (Ray Liotta), doesn’t like the Wild Hogs, viewing them as posers. The Wild Hogs-Del Fuegos feud escalates into a showdown in the small desert town of Madrid, where the shy Dudley has finally found a girlfriend in Maggie (Marisa Tomei), owner of the local bar and grill.

What’s the point of a long review when talking about a movie like Wild Hogs? This isn’t film art. Still, I liked it… a lot, and it was funny. I’m a big fan of Tim Allen and Martin Lawrence’s movies, and when they have halfway decent material and if they’re on, they’re funny, which they were here. Allen is off his game here and still funny, but Lawrence is more on his game and makes sure Bobby Davis doesn’t come across as a mere token. William H. Macy, the best actor of the quartet, really sells his lovable nerd character, making him blissfully naïve and as thick as a brick wall, but giving him surprising moments of spontaneity and edge. John Travolta is pudgy and slow, but he fits in with the rest in an odd sort of way.

The women in this movie seem dehydrated and tired, except for Tichina Arnold who can turn on the black woman sass in an instant. Ray Liotta is intense as all get out, so much so one would think he thought this was a crime thriller and not PG-13, Hollywood mass audience product. Still, his edgy, hard-ass, bad guy act provides a nice balance to the star quartet’s goofiness.

No, Wild Hogs isn’t great, but a generous helping of coarse humor, sexual innuendo, a couple scenes of bare white ass, poop jokes, physical comedy, stereotypes, and plenty of visual gags make this movie funny on demand. I wouldn’t mind seeing it again.

7 of 10
B+

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Review: To Hell with the Razzies, "Norbit" Rocks!

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 32 (of 2007) by Leroy Douresseaux

Norbit (2007)
Running time: 102 minutes (1 hour, 42 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, some nudity, and language
DIRECTOR: Brian Robbins
WRITERS: Eddie Murphy & Charles Murphy and Jay Scherick & David Ronn; story by Eddie Murphy & Charles Murphy
PRODUCERS: John Davis and Eddie Murphy
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Clark Mathis
EDITOR: Ned Bastille, A.C.E.
Academy Award nominee

COMEDY/ROMANCE

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Thandie Newton, Eddie Griffin, Terry Crews, and Cuba Gooding, Jr., Clifton Powell, Katt Williams, Lester “Rasta” Speight, and Marlon Wayans

If you were offended by the riotous 2003 Steve Martin/Queen Latifah comedy, Bringing Down the House, and considered it racially insensitive and filled with racial stereotypes, then the new Eddie Murphy comedy, Norbit, is not for you. Now, onto my glowing review:

Abandoned as a baby, Norbit Albert Rice (Eddie Murphy) was an orphan brought up by Mr. Wong (Murphy, again) at the Golden Wonton Restaurant and Orphanage. Lonely and feeling the need for a family, Norbit marries the hefty Rasputia Latimore (Murphy, yet again). A truly dysfunctional family, the monstrous Latimore and her three brothers – Big Jack (Terry Crews), Earl (Clifton Powell), and Blue (Lester “Rasta” Speight) – run Latimore Construction Company, and the Latimore boys use the company as an outpost to run the town of Boiling Springs, Tennessee, as they extort money from the town’s hard-working businesspeople.

Norbit is meek and held in contempt by the enormous Rasputia, and his only friends are two gregarious former pimps, Pope Sweet Jesus (Eddie Griffin) and Lord Have Mercy (Katt Williams). Norbit’s world takes a turn for the better when his childhood betrothed, the lovely Kate (Thandie Newton), returns to Boiling Springs to buy the orphanage from Mr. Wong. Norbit feels love swelling in his heart again, but Kate is engaged to her seemingly adoring fiancé, Deion (Cuba Gooding, Jr.). Deion, however, is a phony, and he’s conspiring with the Latimores to steal the Golden Wonton and turn the orphanage into a revolting strip club.

Meanwhile, Rasputia doesn’t like how chummy Norbit and the Kate have become, nor does she like Norbit’s new found assertiveness. She brings the pain, and now, Norbit must find a way to get through her, her brothers, and anyone else that stands in the way of him getting to his true love, Kate.

Norbit is Eddie Murphy’s return to the boisterous, ribald comedy that shot him to fame in the 1980’s. When he was a youngster (“The Kid”), he displayed this unruly comedy on “Saturday Night Live,” in his HBO comedy special Eddie Murphy: Delirious, and in the film, 48 Hrs. Rude, crude, and able to do impersonations by putting an uncanny spin on famous figures in American popular culture, Murphy made people laugh. His 1988 film, Coming to America, revealed his ability to play multiple characters while performing under the work of special effect make-up god emperor, Rick Baker. In the 1996 film, The Nutty Professor, Murphy took Baker’s make-up and his own ability to create multiple characters to play several characters with surprising grace and felicity. In Norbit, Rick Baker, the winner of six Academy Awards, again does amazing work creating two visually astonishing characters (Rasputia and Mr. Wong) for Murphy to play.

As Norbit, Rasputia, and Mr. Wong, Murphy takes everything he’s learned and all the skills he’s sharpened to turn in a bravura performance. This is not to say that the rest of Norbit’s cast doesn’t do great work. They’re funny, but they have very few moments in which they aren’t shining because they’re playing off Murphy. Even Thandie Newton is pitch perfect as the gentle sweetheart, Kate. Still, this is Murphy’s show, and he blazes.

I laughed myself to exhaustion, and cried with laughter the way many people cry with grief. Murphy plays Norbit with such subtlety. Norbit isn’t some nerd stereotype. Murphy has fully realized this character giving him physical habits and ticks (such his penchant for mumbling his frustration and rage). Through the make-up, Murphy humanizes Norbit; in fact, Murphy plays him so well that Norbit comes across as a put-upon man struggling to stand up for himself, rather than as just another movie nerd. This is a performance similar to the one Murphy gave as Professor Sherman Klump in The Nutty Professor.

Murphy’s performance as Rasputia is pure, screen brilliance. She’s over the top, but she is also multi-layered. Murphy plays Rasputia for full comic effect that is to comedy what a slew of Oscar-nominated performances are to drama. Some people wondered why Murphy just didn’t let Mo’Nique play Rasputia, but as funny as she is, Mo’Nique could never do what Murphy does with the character.

Norbit is rude and filled with crude, sexual humor, and despite its rating, the film is way too vulgar for a broad family audience. Still, I should not discourage anyone from having a chance to see Murphy. He is a great actor too often thought of as just a great comedian who acts. Basically, Norbit is a laugh-out-loud comedy and there are some talented comics and actors featured in this film. But Murphy’s trio of performances makes Norbit something really special.

8 of 10
A

Sunday, February 11, 2007

NOTES:
2008 Academy Awards: 1 nomination for “Best Achievement in Makeup” (Rick Baker and Kazuhiro Tsuji)

--------------------

Ed Harris Headlines WWE Movie

Ed Harris to Star in WWE Studios’ “Big Red”


Amy Madigan and WWE® Superstar Randy Orton® Also Star in the Coming-of-Age Film

STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WWE Studios announced today that award-winning actor Ed Harris (Pollock, “Apollo 13,” “The Truman Show”) will headline the cast of the (tentatively titled) film, “Big Red.” Chase Ellison (“Tooth Fairy”), Molly Parker (“Deadwood”), Daniel Roebuck (“Final Destination”), WWE Superstar Randy Orton, Mia Rose Frampton (“Make It or Break It”) and Amy Madigan (“Carnivale”) will also star in this family-friendly movie, scheduled to begin principal photography in and around New Orleans, Louisiana, on February 23, 2010.

Set against the backdrop of the mid-sixties, “Big Red” is a coming-of-age story which follows 12-year-old Andy Nichol (CHASE ELLISON), a bright student whose English teacher, Mr. Simon (ED HARRIS), pairs him on a project with the school’s biggest outcast and social pariah, Stanley (aka “Big Red”). When Andy watches Stanley fearlessly confront a school bully, a series of events is unleashed, which changes the lives of both young men – and their teacher – forever.

WWE Studios Executive Vice President Mike Pavone will direct the drama from his original screenplay. “Big Red” is produced by Pavone and Denise Chamian. WWE Studios Vice President David Calloway is the executive in charge of production and the line producer is Todd Lewis.

Golden Globe-winning actor Ed Harris stars as Mr. Simon, a popular “Teacher of the Year” who finds himself the target of a vendetta when he makes sure the principal (AMY MADIGAN) suspends a school bully. A four-time Oscar nominee and SAG Award winner, Harris has distinguished himself as one of film’s most respected and talented actors in numerous popular and critically-acclaimed films, including: “National Treasure: Book of Secrets,” “The Hours,” “A Beautiful Mind,” “Enemy at the Gates,” “The Truman Show,” “Glengarry Glen Ross,” “A History of Violence,” “The Rock,” “Apollo 13,” “The Firm,” “Places in the Heart” and “The Right Stuff.” Harris also directed and starred in the title role of “Pollock,” for which he received an Oscar nomination for his performance. He also wrote, directed, produced and starred in the award-winning film adaptation, “Appaloosa.”

Chase Ellison plays Andy Nichol, a bright student unwillingly paired with the school’s biggest outcast, Stanley/ “Big Red” for an English term paper. Ellison’s film credits include “Tooth Fairy,” “Fireflies in the Garden,” ”End of the Spear,” “Wristcutters: A Love Story” and “Mysterious Skin.” His television credits include “Deadwood,” “Boomtown,” “Malcolm in the Middle” and as a regular on the daytime series, “The Young and the Restless” (Noah Newman).

Molly Parker, known to many for her role as Alma Garret on HBO’s “Deadwood,” portrays Andy’s mother, Sherri. Parker has been a regular or recurring character on several acclaimed television series including “Swingtown,” “Shattered,” “Six Feet Under,” “Twitch City” and “Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years.” Her film credits include “Hollywoodland,” “The Wicker Man” and “Wonderland.”

Daniel Roebuck plays Andy’s father, Jim. Roebuck has appeared in the films “The Fugitive,” “U.S. Marshalls,” “Final Destination,” “Rob Zombie’s Halloween,” “Agent Cody Banks,” “Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London,” “Project X” and “Rivers Edge.” He has been a regular on numerous television series including “Lost,” “Woke Up Dead,” “Nash Bridges,” “Matlock,” “Capital News” and “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” He is also the writer, producer and director of the horror documentary series, “Monsterama.”

WWE Superstar Randy Orton portrays Ed Freel, the father of the bully reprimanded by Simon. When Freel’s son spreads a lie about Simon, Ed repeats the accusation and begins a campaign to get Simon fired. Since making his WWE debut in 2002, Orton has held the WWE Championship, the World Heavyweight Championship, the Intercontinental Championship and the World Tag Championship. A third-generation WWE Superstar, Orton is the son of WWE Hall of Famer “Cowboy Bob” Orton and the grandson of “The Big O,” the late Bob Orton, Sr.

Mia Rose Frampton has been cast as Mary Bell, the prettiest girl in the school, who is also known as the preeminent make-out artist of the eighth grade. Frampton, the daughter of Grammy Award-winning artist Peter Frampton, stars as Becca Keeler in the popular ABC television series, “Make It or Break It” about the training of Olympic hopefuls.

Golden Globe-winner Amy Madigan (“Roe v. Wade”) plays Principal Kelner, whose decision to suspend a school bully has devastating and unforeseen consequences. Madigan, familiar to many for her role as Annie Kinsella in the film, “Field of Dreams,” and Iris Crowe in the HBO series “Carnivale,” has received Oscar, Emmy and Independent Spirit Award nominations for her work in “Twice in a Lifetime,” “The Prince of Pennsylvania,” “Love Child” and “Loved.” Her film credits include “The Laramie Project,” “Pollock,” “With Friends Like These,” “The Dark Half,” “Uncle Buck,” “Alamo Bay,” “Places in the Heart” and “Streets of Fire.”

Writer-director-producer Pavone recently produced the family drama, “Legendary,” starring Patricia Clarkson, WWE Superstar John Cena® and Danny Glover, as well as the comedy “Knucklehead,” with Mark Feuerstein, Melora Hardin and WWE Superstar Paul “Big Show®” Wight. “Legendary” and “Knucklehead” are slated for theatrical release in late 2010.

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly, PG content across all of its platforms including television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 500 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, Shanghai, Sydney, Tokyo and Toronto. Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/. [END]

Review: First" X-Men" Film is Surprisingly Good

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 64 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

X-Men (2000)
Running time: 104 minutes (1 hour, 44 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sci-fi action violence
DIRECTOR: Bryan Singer
WRITERS: David Hayter, from a story by Tom DeSanto and Bryan Singer
PRODUCERS: Lauren Shuler Donner and Ralph Winter
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Newton Thomas Sigel (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Steven Rosenblum, Kevin Stitt, and John Wright

ACTION/SCI-FI/SUPERHERO FANTASY

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Anna Paquin, Tyler Mane, Ray Park, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, and Bruce Davison

Rogue (Anna Paquin, The Piano) is a young mutant, born with a genetic gift/curse that gives her special powers and abilities that normal humans don’t have. Her gift/curse is the ability to absorb the memories of another person, and in the case of another mutant, absorb that mutant’s power merely by touching her bare skin against his skin. If she isn’t careful and touches a person for too long, she could send him into catatonic shock, which she does to the first boy she kisses. On the run in Canada, she meets Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), himself a mutant. He grudgingly takes her under his wing. After an evil mutant named Sabertooth (Tyler Mane) attacks them, the X-Men: Cyclops (James Marsden), Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), and Storm (Halle Berry) rescue the duo and take them to their secluded School for Gifted Youngsters where Wolverine and Rogue meet the school’s headmaster Professor Charles Xavier or Professor X.

Prof. X and his X-Men are at odds with Magneto (Ian McKellen) and his so-called evil mutants who want to subjugate mankind, whereas the X-Men work to show humanity that normal humans and mutants can live together in harmony. However, Magneto is after one of the new mutants to use that mutant’s power in a hideous scheme to destroy humanity. Meanwhile, malcontent humans hound Xavier and his students as they fight to protect humans, both from their own racial hate and from Magneto and the gang.

X-Men isn’t a great movie, but it’s very good. I, like many comic book fans, expected so little that when we got only a little more, was ecstatic. For years, film projects based, like X-Men, on other Marvel Comics properties were disasters, and the rumors weren’t promising much more for the X-movie. It’s a decent sci-fi, action film with some good fight sequences, a few good characters, and a fairly decent pace. It does drag at times, but for the most part, the writers and the director manage to keep our interest in the concept piqued.

The costumes, inspired by the leather/vinyl of The Matrix (which inspires much of this film), and the sets are excellent. The color palette leans toward blacks, shadowy and cool grays, and lots of brown; it’s a dreary and downbeat world in which the mutants live.

The casting is good, although, as a long time X-geek, I don’t agree with all the choices to play my favorite mutants. I usually like Halle Berry, but she is wrong as Storm, and James Marsden and Famke Janssen don’t cut it as Scott “Cyclops” Summers and Jean Grey either, but despite these reservations, the film is good.

I do wish the filmmakers had given credit to the comic book creators whose work provided the characters and story for this movie: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Len Wein, Dave Cockrum, Chris Claremont, and John Byrne, but comic book publishers have a history of avoiding even the smallest act of acknowledgement of the men who’ve created these brilliant four color inventions.

Oh, well. X-Men is still a good film. A decent action, a credible science fiction film, and a very good adaptation of a comic book that anyone who ever read The X-Men or any comic book for that matter might like.

6 of 10
B

----------------------