Good Ford And Bad Ford
Two weeks from now cinephiles around the world will be celebrating the long awaited DVD release of THE INDIANA JONES TRILOGY starring Harrison Ford.
This week we have to make due with Ford’s latest cinematic mistep. But if you are going to fail, you might as well fail miserably.
And HOLIWOOD HOMICIDE does fail miserably! It doesn’t know if it wants to be a comedy, a drama, an action flick, a buddy cop movie, or all of the above. It doesn’t do any of those genres justice. Harrison Ford stars with up and coming Hollywood hunk Josh Hartnett and the film could have been a unique cinematic way for Ford to pass the torch on to the next generation. Instead, he gives the impression that he doesn’t want to admit hes too old to do this kind of film and the viewers have to suffer for that. HOLLYWOOD HOMICIDE fails on every single level. Skip it unless you are a Harrison Ford completist or it is decreed by a court of law that you have to watch it!
THE IN-LAWS is no more of a failure that HOLLYWOOD HOMICIDE, but since it doesn’t star one of the biggest Hollywood stars of all time, you probably won’t mind so much. Michael Douglas and the great Albert Brooks star in this remake of the 1979 movie of the same name. Brooks stars as a podiatrist who becomes part of his soon to be in-law’s world as a CIA agent. Fish don’t get more out of water than Albert Brooks, and he proved that this summer as the lead voice in FINDING NEMO. THE IN-LAWS has a great looking cast and an interesting story, but it just isn’t very funny. It’s not a bad movie, but I doubt you’ll love it.
THE ITALIAN JOB is also a remake, but man is it good! This version sees a gang of criminals use a traffic jam to pull off a heist. Mark Wahlberg from THE PERFECT STORM and my favourite Charlize Theron of SWEET NOVEMBER star in what was one of the better films of the summer. And I didn’t even mention that Edward Norton from FIGHT CLUB and Donald Sutherland are in it. THE ITALIAN JOB is so good I can tell you about it and not even mention two of it’s stars.
The two stars of DOWN WITH LIVE, Renee Zellweger of BRIDGET JONES’S DIARY and Ewan McGregor from STAR WARS are worth mentioning, but the movie isn’t. McGregor is a womanizer and Zellweger a feminist who find love in 1960s New York. DOWN WITH LOVE has style and grace, but not enough of a story to hold your interest.
THE LION KING has style, grace and everything else that this week’s other films don’t have. Yes this animated film literally has everything and it is finally available on DVD. Since it is one of the biggest animated films of all time you probably know the story of how young Simba battles treachery to claim his destiny. You can also probably sing the songs “Circle Of Life” and “Hakuna Matata.” So what more is there to say about this week’s new release of THE LION KING?!
Well, there is an extra scene that you’ve never seen before and an abundance of extra features.
Enjoy, and feel free to sing along when “Hakuna Matata” comes on!
COMING NEXT WEEK
The Matrix Reloaded – The machines locate Zion and battle for their existence. (Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne and Carrie-Anne Moss)
Wrong Turn – Teens are stalked through West Virginia forest by killers. (Eliza Dushku, Jeremy Sisto, Emmanuelle Chriqui)
Owning Mahowny – A bank manager embezzles money to support his gambling. (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Minnie Driver, Maury Chakin)
Blue Car – A high school girl channels emotions through her poetry. (Agnes Bruckner, David Strathairn, Margaret Colin)
Enjoy the movies and I’ll see you on the couch!
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