Waist Deep

Movies about parents doing whatever they have too, to get their child or children back have always shown some of the better dramatic acting that any actor has to offer. This film is no different, set in Los Angeles against a completely urban background its Tyrese Gibson that shines through all the negative energy and situations that are presented to him. This falls into that genre of Hip-Hop action films that have been coming out over the past five years or so, and this one has risen to the top.When his son is kidnapped O2 must do what ever he can to get him back, including outsmarting rival gangs and the police. The action sequences that are performed are very well choreographed and keeps the movie going. From the opening scenes to the closing credits this is a highly charged and powerful film, once the story starts you can't look away, it draws you in and never lets go. The music is as strong in this film as the acting and this is a perfect example of the music fitting the movie. The ending is a little predictable and corny but down deep this is trying to be a family film, what would you expect.
Love is the strongest emotion that we experience, and the display of the emotion between father and son in this movie is overpowering. Even though its rated R this is a family film, take away the violence and the harsh language its almost a film that Disney would have put together. So if the kids are old enough, and can understand things in a rated R film I think this is one to sit down with them and watch it together.

Memoirs of a Geisha

This is one of those films that once you start watching it you just can't look away, the artistry within it is amazing. From the sets to the costumes this is a visually stunning film, the effort that was applied here is evident from the opening scenes. Based on the novel by Arthur Golden the world of the Geisha is opened to bear all for the world to see. All of the acting is superb and flawless, as the characters grow in age, as well as wisdom, you are taken on a journey that you will not soon forget.After a nine-year-old girl with stunning beauty is sold to a Kyoto Geisha house, she must endure harsh treatment and a world at war as she blossoms into the Geisha she is destined to become. Some of the punishments that are handed out during the film are a little extreme but for the time frame and the situations that are being played out they work. The sets look like they were taken right from that time in Japanese history, they look so authentic that you would almost believe that they were always there. The love story that this played out here is drawn out through the whole movie, and in true movie magic when the story is completed there is a happy ending.
After watching this movie I noticed in the credits that the film was based on Golden's book and was amazed that so much information about a completely female world, and point of view, was actually written by a man. The massive amount of research that must have gone into this story shows and it is understandable why this was such a well-received movie by the audience and the critics. This is definitely a movie to sit and watch with a loved one, the story is compelling and thought provoking about a life that we, as outsiders, until now knew very little about.

Once Upon a Time in the West

When you talk about great westerns, a large part of the conversation has to wrap around Sergio Leone's contribution to the genre. His most well known pictures are the Man with no Name series, starring Clint Eastwood, A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Where those films set the precedent for westerns to come, this movie, in its own right, shows that the art of filmmaking is beyond just sets and dialog. With two anti-heroes and a villain, this movie grabs you by the collar and never lets go.The railroad is coming to the West and some men will do just about anything to anyone so that they will be the ones on top. The brightest star in this cast is Henry Fonda playing the villain, a ruthless psychopath who is willing to kill small children, and with Jason Robards and Charles Bronson playing the two anti-heroes the chemistry is totally explosive. The movie was completely shot in America, Utah and Arizona, on the local Indian Reservations, so the scenery is as breathtaking as it can be. The gunfights are classic Leone as well as the costumes for each character; you almost forget that your watching a fictional story and not something based on real life. Like in all of Leone's films the music is a major component in the movie and the tempo of the film keeps pace with it, which is no small feat.
The shear brilliance of having Fonda play the blackest character of his career, and pull it off as if it was second nature, totally goes to Leone, for convincing him to do the part. Not that I'm a big Western genre fan, but I do have some favorites, and even though it took me years to finally see a complete version of this film, it ranks right at the top of my list. If you like Westerns, and have never seen this film before, you should find it and watch it, this film just reinforces the idea that Sergio Leone was one of the greatest film makers of our time.

Up in Smoke

At the height of their careers, Cheech and Chong had turned the listening public into the most drug savvy people in America. In 1978, they brought the best of their talents to the big screen and you almost could get high just from watching the movie. Some of their best characters were brought out, and to finally see the skits that we all had been listening to for so long was great. Watching these two characters is like being visited by your favorite uncles and just going along for the ride with them. The misadventures of Pedro and the Man begin with a search for weed in Los Angeles which get them into more trouble than either of them are aware of. Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong are great as their drugged out alter egos and Stacy Keach as the straight-laced Sgt. Stedenko is perfect, he plays off of the two of them with just the right flair. The premise of having weed transformed into polymer plastic is a little far fetched, and when you see the van made of it, its even more ridiculous. The situations that are in the movie are a little on the far-fetched side of reality but still some of it is believable and totally with in the realm of possibilities.
Unfortunately of all the movies that the pair has done over the years, this is the only one that was met with any success, the other movies that they did were fun but nothing quite compared to "Up in Smoke." This is definitely one of those movies that over the years most people say that they have seen it but have never really gone back to it to watch it again. After all this time it still holds onto its humor and is completely re-watchable, I say find a copy, watch it, straight or high it doesn't matter, and enjoy yourself, it's a trip you'll never forget.

They Live

It's always great to find an old classic that you haven't seen in years and you enjoy it every bit as when you first saw it. This movie is one of the jewels of John Carpenter's career that has been running strong since Halloween was released in the seventies. Having Roddy Piper star as the action lead here was a stroke of genius, he plays the rugged construction worker to a tee and when it comes time to kick ass, well what can I say, he does have some experience there. Using science fiction to talk about current social situations isn't new, but how Carpenter uses it here is very well done. A lone drifter discovers that aliens are slowly taking control of the government and the rich upper class, and keeping the rest of us in line through manipulation and subliminal messages. This is not a big special effects movie but what they do use is very good and not over done. One of the best lines in a sci-fi movie is used here, "I've come to chew bubblegum and kick ass, and I'm all out of bubblegum," the line is delivered straight forward by Piper and works for the situation and the character. The movie moves so fast that you don't even realize that an hour and a half has gone by, and by the end your left breathless and wanting more.
If you've never seen this film, you're definitely been missing out, it's one of those hidden gems that most people have heard about but haven't seen. I wish that Piper had gone on to do other action films, he shines here and comes across as a seasoned actor, and given the right role he could have soared into stardom. But what we're left with is a project that showcases the excellent talent of one of the greatest directors that we've seen in years and the budding talent of an actor who could rival the likes of Willis or Schwarzenegger

Under the Tuscan Sun

Destiny is something that most of us believe in but don't admit to it openly, here they take the concept and turn it into a life learning story. This movie is loosely based on Frances Mayes's book Under the Tuscan Sun and is completely enjoyable from beginning to end. Growing up in an Italian family, I saw a lot of things in the movie that my family does to this very day, and that alone was enough to show how traditions are handed down from generation to generation. The scenery that is used throughout the movie is stunning; it's like watching postcards of the Italian countryside come to life. After her divorce Frances goes to Italy for a vacation, and while there she buys a villa and begins to put her life back together. The story moves right along and doesn't get held up with any of the obvious traps that you would expect from a movie like this. None of the situations seem out of place in this film, even the clash of modern society with that of the old world are easy to except and are completely believable. When the decrepit villa is finally transformed, you realize, along with the main character, that the life lessons that were being taught all come from hard work and perseverance. Diane Lane is superb in the lead role and plays the character to the point that makes you feel for her every time something goes wrong, which is quite often.
This definitely is one of those movies that most guys would steer clear of, but if you ever want to sit down and watch something with someone you love, this is a really good one to start with. After everything is said and done, this movie leaves you with the feeling that, there is always the possibility that something good is going to happen. Above everything else this movie proves the old saying with a little twist, "When life gives you lemons, you make limonita."

Time Bandits

With the blending of history, reality, and fantasy this movie takes us from the heights of Creation to the depths of Evil and every step of the way the comedy is straightforward and hilarious. This film is Terry Gilliam at the top of his game, with the help of some Monty Python alumni, John Cleese and Michael Palin; Time Bandits goes down as a classic adventure/comedy of all time. Even years after its release the comedy is still fresh and funny and just doesn't seem to get old. With the idea that the Supreme Being botched the job with creating the world in six days, you begin to wonder if its possible that maybe there is a reason for all the strangeness around.With a stolen map of the holes in time, a band of would be criminals take to robbing history one item at a time. With music by ex-Beatle George Harrison this film has some great situations that role into each other and seem to be totally believable. The effects are a little crude by today's standards but it fits like a glove and helps the film keep its believability. The two guest appearances of Shelley Duvall and Sean Connery helped draw an audience to this unlikely adventure, but once the audience was hooked that was it, they were reeled in and never wanted to leave.
The ideas from the Monty Python show were everywhere in the film and the characters from history were all dragged into a new light. From Robin Hood to Napoleon to the Ancient Greeks no one is safe from these bandits. The humor is relatively clean and the situations are not graphic, so it's a movie that you could sit down with the kids and watch and have some fun.