Nehring The Edge

Nehring Over The Edge

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:50:29 PST

I began this site in early January of 2005. At the time one of my goals was to offer what I was hoping would be a fresh voice to the choir of online film critics. I've enjoyed some success with this site, have been published in Reuters and USAToday.com, been interviewed a number of times, hosted the Carnival of Cinema and have received compliments and threats from around the world. All of this and my grammar hasn't improved a single bit.

I will be ceasing to post on this site beginning today. Beginning next January I will be consolidating my sites over at Good News Film Reviews (http://goodnewsfilmreviews.blogspot.com). On that site I will continue to offer my usual reviews while also providing more commentary on the industry itself. All of this from a Christian perspective (which was the original purpose of this blog believe it or not).

Click on the logo to go to Good News Film Reviews

For my subscribers, I hope you will stick with me through my month and a half long break and direct your RSS readers to my new Good News feed.

To my readers, I want to thank you for your support and kind words over these past few years. Thanks to you I have enjoyed more success that I could have hoped for.

I will post once more on this site when the new site is fully operational.

I hope you to talk to you all next year.

Goodbye

Scott Nehring

Top Secret! (1984)

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:50:04 PST

Should I see it?
Yes.

This movie runs at one hundred jokes per minute. This film may have more sight gags than any other film ever made. Val Kilmer heads up this film by Jim Abrahams and the Zucker Brothers (Airplane!) If you like the humor of The Naked Gun, you will love this piece.

Reviews:
Spoof Reviews
Qwipster's Movie Reviews

Movie Trailer: I am Legend

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:49:41 PST

Coming out on December 14th, Will Smith's latest is essentially a high-concept zombie movie. Neville (Smith) becomes the last man on Earth following a devastating plague. He is hounded by the other remaining people on Earth who are all vicious mutants. Can Neville find a antidote to cure the mutants (and save mankind)before they kill him first?

Click on the poster to view the trailer

Director: Francis Lawrence (Constantine)
Screenwriter: Mark Protosevich (The Cell) and Akiva Goldsman (The Da Vinci Code)

First Constantine and then The Da Vinci Code? Is there anybody making decisions that hasn't made a heretical flick?

Actors: Will Smith and Salli Richardson

THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS (2006)

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:49:18 PST

SHORT REVIEW: On the Will Smith scorecard, this one makes up for Independence Day. He still owes us four movies like this one to make up for Wild Wild West.

I forgot Fresh Prince could act. Given that his usual products are little more than live action video games I don’t think I can be blamed for my lack of memory about Will Smith’s ability. Here he offers a nuanced performance as Chris Gardner, a man who despite being severely down on his luck, attempts to survive a competitive internship at Dean Winter. Smith’s performance is critical to the piece succeeding and he manages to deliver the goods. He clearly deserved his nomination for the Best Actor Oscar.

Getting through the film is an arduous task. Chris Gardner simply wants to become a stockbroker. To do this he has to be selected from a group of applicants in the internship program I’ve already mentioned. The problem? He’s uneducated, unconnected and essentially unemployed. On top of this he is a single father with a small son (played by Smith’s actual son Jaden Smith). Why is so difficult to watch? Gardner is handed so many hardships that it is hard to comprehend a human being could emotionally survive everything he endures. Director Gabriele Muccino and screenwriter Steve Conrad do such a wonderful job at setting up and executing Gardner’s goals and obstacles that his painful journey is believable. They infuse a great amount of tension into a story that should be predicable and a tad outlandish. Mixed with Smith’s charismatic performance the piece garners a great deal of sympathy from the audience. This sympathy is strained over and over again as Gardner suffers unbelievable setbacks. By the time the final act comes around the story is on the verge of becoming ridiculous. The resolution comes at exactly the right time to delivery maximum effectiveness.

There are many who may watch this film and see it as being a tad strong in its message of perseverance. I would argue against this. Garnder’s endurance makes him a valuable role model and showing his hardships (even if they may be pumped up for the sake of the movie – if they were) solidifies to power of refusing to give up on yourself. His story is inspiring stuff and I can’t recommend it enough.

On top of the powerful rags to riches story, this is also a tale of fatherhood. Gardner also serves as a quality image of what a father should be: protective, providing and patient. This film offers a father figure who is a real man who gives his son guidance and care. If only Hollywood produced more father characters such as this as opposed to the usual image of a bumbling moron who is little more than an oversized child.

If you missed this in its initial theatrical release and/or let it slip off your DVD rental queue, I highly recommend getting your hands on a copy and giving it a try.

Double Indemnity (1944)

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:49:00 PST

Should I see it?
Yes

This film is a classic for a reason. Fred MacMurray is perfectly cast as a scheming insurance salesman who regrets getting roped into murdering a femme fatale’s rich husband. Opposite MacMurray is Barbara Stanwyck as the femme fatale. She isn’t so great, and combining her stumbling performance with a thinly written character leads to some leaden interactions. Writer/Director Billy Wilder’s handing of the tight plot covers for Stanwyck’s missteps. Look for a great scene stealing performance by Edward G. Robinson. Overall, this is a fantastic suspense film that is still fun after all of this time.

Reviews:
Westminster Wisdom
Appreciating Great Trash

THE CARNIVAL OF CINEMA: EPISODE 56 – NIGHT OF THE LIVING BLOGGERS

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:40:54 PST

Welcome to the 56th Edition of the Carnival of Cinema.

This week we have a number of our regular bloggers alongside some new faces. So sit back and enjoy some of the best film reviews, commentary and industry advice available on the web.

To start things out this week we take a look at Michael L. Wentz’s Top Ten Veteran’s Day Movie Picks. What gives this list a bit of gravity is that it from the viewpoint of an actual veteran. Head over to REAL HONEST FILM to see a good list of some very interesting movies.

On to more war stuff.

Don’t like the War on Terrorism™? Neither does cranky old fart Robert Redford.

We have a couple of reviews taking a look at Lions for Lambs, a film that looks like it’s a bigger bomb than anything the Collation Forces™ have dropped on Iraq.

First up there’s General Disdain’s piece. Its clear a film about foreign policy made by a bunch of rich bed-wetting leftists isn’t the General’s cup of tea. This said, he gives the film a fair shake over at THE CRITICAL CRITICS.

Next up we have Aahz view on the film over at PHILAAHZOPHY. Aahz wasn’t going to see the film but ended up watching it anyway then found the piece compelling for its story more than anything else.

Ironically, cranky old fart Robert Redford competition this week includes the film No Country for Old Men.

Andrew Newman of NEWMAN'S OWN MOVIE CORNER reviews the new release from the Coen Brothers. It looks like its more Miller’s Crossing than The Big Lebowski.

Newman also gives us an early look at the brand spanking new flick Beowulf.

Head on over to see if the dolled-up cartoon worth your time?

For another view on No Country for Old Men check out what Dan has to say over at his site POPCORN, SODA, AND GOOBERS.

Sticking with the movies that are still down at the multiplex, The Flick Guru provides us with a review of the already critically acclaimed American Gangster. Find out what The Flick Guru thinks on his site THE GURU'S MOVIE AND TUBE REVIEWS. While you’re there don’t forget to check out his review of Jerry Seinfeld’s The Bee Movie.

For a look at the world’s best film about a boy who falls in love with a blow up doll check out Lindsey’s opinion on the film Lars and the Real Girl over at her site ZEE SAYS=FILM ADDICT + TEEN LIBRARIAN.

Paul McElligott reviews everything. On his site CELLULOID HEROES this week he reviews the new flick Gracie and finds himself asking:

"How did this film escape the Lifetime Network?"

f you head over you’ll also find reviews of A Mighty Heart, The Incredibles, and Help!

Like I said, he reviews everything.

Ending the new film string we have Joanna Clay on her site JOANNA ESPAÑA giving her take on the Irish film Once. This seems to be an interesting film, click over to see why.

If new movies don’t do it for you try on some older movies for size. Twenty years ago John Candy dressed up like a dog and this week Adam talks about it over at ALL THINGS FILM with his review of Mel Brooks’ non-classic Spaceballs.

Eighteen years ago Robin Williams was O’ Captain My Captain and now one of his teenage students is middle aged and on House. Toni has an ode to Dead Poet’s Society over at her side WIFELY STEPS.

Looking over at THE RETURN OF JEZEBEL JAMES INFO AND FAN SITE, Tim King has a follow up to a post from a couple months back titled 7 More One-line Parker Posey Movie Reviews. Get quick reviews of films like For Your Consideration, Best In Show, Clockwatchers and more.

Bringing things to a close this week is Christine. She has a site called ME, MY KID AND LIFE: AN AMERICAN SINGLE MOM LIVING IN FRANCE. Truth in advertising, the site is about exactly that: Her, her kid and living in France. Click over to read how she discovered an art film house in an art film house in France.

…and CUT!…and PRINT!

Thanks to everyone for their submissions and welcome all of the new faces this week.

FEATURE THIS CARNIVAL ON YOUR BLOG

Other carnival editions:
Carnival of Cinema: Episode I
Carnival of Cinema: Episode II
Carnival of Cinema: Episode III
Carnival of Cinema: Episode IV

The Assignment (1997)

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:40:36 PST

Should I see it?
No.

Except for a few mildly interesting but ultimately fleeting moments, this entire film feels like its made out of the dropped scenes from a thousand better action films. Aiden Quinn, Ben Kingsley and Donald Sutherland recite lines and hit their blocking as they sleepwalk through this unfortunate, derivative production about a Navy officer that is tasked by the CIA to impersonate a terrorist. It would have been better if the filmmakers impersonated people who could make a reasonably good movie.

Reviews:
Roger Ebert
At-a-Glance Film Reviews

28 WEEKS LATER (2007)

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 09:47:28 PDT

SHORT REVIEW: The characters in the film are turned into mind numbed vomiting zombies – so is the audience.

I found myself rooting for the zombies.

This is the unneeded follow up to the more successful 28 Days Later. The original was a refreshing take on the old zombie movie plot. It was inventive in its look, its handling of the end of the world (or at least the U.K.) and it was masterfully crafted. To be honest, the first half was masterful, the second half absolutely falls apart and loses its focus faster than Michael Jackson driving past a Boy Scout camp. Regardless, the first half of the original film is probably the best piece of horror since The Exorcist.

This sequel couldn’t be more disappointing. It certainly appears to have promise, following the complete destruction of Britain by a horrid virus that causes its victims to become blood-vomiting zombies, people have finally returned home. Of course it is only a matter of time before the virus makes it return. What should be a tension filled movie turns out to be a dopey series of forced plot conveniences and paper-thin characters. Given how potent the first film was, this piece being so patently bad is a disgrace. Where the first film can be likened to a slightly rebellious but likable and intelligent guy who is interesting and fun to know, this film is more like his loser slack-jawed son who eats crayons and punctuates his jokes by farting. It’s hard to believe such a good film went on to produce such a dumb one.

The main problem with this film is its script. The concept itself is solid and the acting and design are fine. There really can’t be that many ways you can mess this thing up. Amazingly enough, screenwriters Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, Rowan Joffe and Jesús Olmo all manage to locate and execute every single way to screw up every scene. With three screenwriters on this thing that means there had to be a ton of ideas that were probably thrown out or rewritten. If this piece of trash is the end result of their editing, what possibly was not good enough for them to include? The plot is so horrid I was surprised to keep finding the characters running away from the zombies. If I were in the movie I’d embrace them so I’d be wiped out and wouldn’t have to be a part of this stupid movie anymore. For my example, I won’t go to deep into the plot to avoid spoiling the movie more than the writers already have done...you know what, forget it – I’m ruining it.

***SPOILER ALERT***

The film focuses on a dad and his two kids. The dad gets infected and spends the remainder of the film chasing after the children. The plot is twisted into every possible direction to keep the father in the film despite the fact that it makes NO SENSE. The characters get in a car and drive through London. The father ON FOOT – WHILE STILL A ZOMBIE - manages to keep up to surprise them after they stop. Its stupid bits like this that make this an overly managed and unsatisfying heap of stewing cinematic waste. It KILLS me that they just have the virus show up and quickly wipe the population out instead of a slow building infection of the people which increases both tension and horror. With this dumb flick one minute everyone is fine and then five minutes later the whole place is overrun. There is no craft at work here.

I wanted to like this movie, I did. The truth be told, I have a soft spot for zombie movies. I was inclined to give this movie a few breaks I wouldn’t provide other productions and I still have to tell you to not bother watching it.

Other Reviews:
Monsters & Critics
The Stop Button

Fire in the Sky (1993)

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:38:14 PST

Should I see it?
Sure.

Very slow and mopey but it still manages to hold some interest. This certainly isn’t Oscar material but it does much with its meek story about a gang of blue collar guys who have a frightening run in with a UFO. The final act of the film holds some unnerving scenes which pretty much make up for the low tone of the rest of the piece. D.B. Sweeney and Robert Patrick offer some good performances. If you see it on cable, its worth checking out.

Other reviews:
FilmCritic.com
Roger Ebert

The Goebbels Experiment (2005)

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:37:37 PST

Should I see it?
Yes.

Centering around Kenneth Branagh reading from Josef Goebbels’s personal diaries, this documentary about Hitler’s master propagandist is a fascinating look into Germany’s Nazi Party. We follow the mousy marketer from his initial idealistic impressions of Adolf Hitler to his eventual disillusionment and subsequent murder/suicide in the bunker with his family. For any student of World War II this is a must see film. Be warned there are some gruesome images like an unedited view of Goebbels’ naked and burned corpse.

Reviews:
The Los Angeles Times
Film-Forward

In the Heat of the Night (1967)

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:30:04 PST

Should I see it?
Absolutely.

A masterwork. This intelligent piece about an African-American detective performing a murder investigation in a small Southern town frankly examines race relations and provides some of unforgettable moments in American cinema. At its core this is also a masterful character piece with an stunning script and brilliant performances by Sidney Poitier and Rod Stieger. This is one of those films you must absolutely see at least once.

Reviews:
eFilmCritic.com
Greatest Films

THE CARNIVAL OF CINEMA: EPISODE 55 – THUNDERBLOG AND LIGHTFOOT

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:29:42 PST

Welcome to this week’s edition of the Carnival of Cinema. Each week we provide you with the web’s best posts about film. Come here every week for a rundown of some great film reviews, cinema commentary and industry advice.

To prove we have truly great bloggers populating our editions, we will start out this week with two FINALISTS in this year’s Weblog Awards.

First we have a Finalist for Funniest Blog JON SWIFT. Jon is serious about his funny:

“In order to scientifically analyze just how comedy works
I'm going to dissect one of Woody Allen's funniest films,
which is probably my purest comedy moment.
Unlike many critics, I prefer Allen's older,
funnier movies and I don't think he has ever
topped his 1978 comedy Interiors.”

Jon runs a great blog. If he isn’t on your blogroll then your blogroll ain’t doing its darn job.

Now on to our next finalist…

LIBERTAS was a finalist this year for Best Culture Blog. There, Dirty Harry writes about everything he sees. He has reviews this week of all of the big releases. Head on over to see if you should see The Bee Movie.

Mr. Harry also has a look at Jimmy Carter Man From Plains. This is a much better title than a number of the working title Jimmy Carter Man From Malaise. That’s what the world needs a sunny biopic of the guy who couldn’t resolve the Iran hostage crisis, governed over mile long gas lines and one of the most despondent times in recent American history.

But wait, there’s more! Dirty also has a review of the new film from Ridley Scott American Gangster.

Congratulations to LIBERTAS and JON SWIFT for placing in this year’s Weblog Awards!

Andrew Newman also reviews Ridley’s reel over at NEWMAN'S OWN MOVIE CORNER. Is it a success or does it just suck? Click over to find out.

American Gangster has gotten some great press. Is that surprising? You have one of the great directors working with two of the best big name actors in Hollywood using a script from Steven Zaillian – chances are, things are going to be great.

Then there’s Saw IV.

Chances are, things are going to be stupid.

Ah, there were so many questions left over from the first three Saw movies. General Disdain probably suffered more than the character on screen when he sat through this cinematic overkill. Run over THE CRITICAL CRITICS and see what the ol’ General has to say about this one.

Honestly, Saw IV? How many chicks in bear traps and guys with their genitals stuck in vice grips do we need to see?

Apparently the answer is four.

Let’s lighten things up.

Over all ALL THINGS FILM this week you can catch Ghostbusters getting the treatment by Adam. A lost fact about Ghostbusters – the Stay Puft Marshmallow man was the considered to be the most striking performance by a marshmallow based organism until Kathy Bates did her nude scene in About Schmidt.

I still have scars from when I reflexively tried to claw my own eyes out when that scene came up.

Honestly, that scene could have been filmed using Google Earth. If you think I’m being mean – hey, I’m not the one dropping my robe in the middle of what is otherwise a passable movie.

Speaking of Google Earth, the folks over at MOVIELANDMARKS.COM track movie locations using the service. They just compiled a bunch of sites for The Blues Brothers. Check them out.

Alright, let’s switch gears and talk about a boy and his wand.

The so Jenny of the site THE SO CALLED ME saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Click over to see if it should have been call the Harry Potter and the Odor of the Phoenix.

Haven’t had enough film reviews? We’ll fix that.

Yes, Paul McElligott is back and he’s loaded with opinions. Paul has a plethora of poignant points about the pictures that have crossed his path.

He’s all about war.

He starts out his collection from his site CELLULOID HEROES this week with a review of Kubrick’s classic Paths of Glory.

Next up, Paul takes on Errol Flynn and David Niven in The Dawn Patrol.

This is why Paul is one of my favorite reviewers, lines like this:

“…the life expectancy of a British fighter pilot had a shorter life
than Britney Spears’ visitation rights.”

Paul continues with the flyboy films and provides a review of The Blue Max as well.

He ends this week’s collection with a look at The Twilight Zone: The Movie which has a scene with Nazis and another in Vietnam.

Closing up shop this week is an advertisement. Blue Skeleton of THE PRODUCTION BLOG doesn’t have anything to say about film this time around but he does want you to know that Canon U.S.A., Inc. announced its first ever, “So You Want to Be a Pop Star?” online sweepstakes.

…and CUT!…and PRINT!

Have an opinion or article about the film industry? Have you reviewed a film or DVD? Have any tips on breaking into the biz? Send submissions HERE!

FEATURE THIS CARNIVAL ON YOUR BLOG

Previous Carnival editions:
Carnival of Cinema: Episode II
Carnival of Cinema: Episode VIII
Carnival of Cinema: Episode XIII
Carnival of Cinema: Episode XVII

Sorcerer (1977)

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:29:16 PST

Should I see it?
No.

William Friedkin's remake of Wages of Fear starts out strongly and then drifts into a series of high tension scenes that fail to impress. Starring Roy Scheider, this film follows a group of distraught men who take a job delivering nitroglycerin across rough South American terrain. Unlike the original, this film does a fantastic job setting up why these men would take such a job but it loses much of its steam when the men leave to perform their job. This lukewarm production may be worth stopping on if you see it but it is not worth hunting down.

Reviews:
The Film Journal
DVD Authority

Is The Golden Compass a Concern for Christians?

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 09:42:40 PDT

On December 6th The Golden Compass, based on the first book of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, hits theaters. This has many Christians concerned. Why? The books begin innocently enough, but as the trilogy moves forward the story twists into a venomous attack on Christianity. Will the film follow suit?

As a Christian I loath attacks on the faith (at least unfounded ones). Usually these attacks, such as The Da Vinci Code tend to be tedious affairs but they still get a number of Christians all whipped up. As a general rule Christians react to potential attacks on the faith with a loud whining sound. Even when the perceived attack is actually not intended to be harmful (see the reactions to Evan Almighty) Christians can still become a gaggle huffy sourpusses.

There is a great article on The Golden Compass over at FamilyLife (click the link to read). They speak with Looking Closer Journal's Jeffrey Overstreet about the books and the film and they provide a reasonable approach for Christians.

View the trailer for The Golden Compass below

RATATOUILLE (2007)

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:28:17 PST

SHORT REVIEW: The best performance by a rat since An Inconvenient Truth.

This film about a talking rat who knows how to cook and helps a hapless young man learn the craft is much more subdued than the other Pixar efforts. While there's nothing necessarily wrong with a toned down kid's movie, this film comes across as almost too casual and a little dull in spots. This is a fine film in many respects but it lacks a big enough story to maintain its subject matter. Since the narrative can't rely on tons of action and whatnot, the movie has to depend more heavily on its actual story (something that is a welcome change at the cinema). The issue is that the story itself isn't that great - its reasonably good, but not great. The piece suffers from the fact that its main focus is cooking – which isn’t usually a vibrant visual experience. One can only watch animated people taste and smell things for so long.

This movie is still superior to most other “family movies” available since it doesn’t devolve into a string of rectal jokes and barely hidden sex references. Its nice to have a kids film that doesn't have to stoop to farts and pee. This piece gives its audience some respect and keeps things above the belt.

The performances are good, with the only standout being Patton Oswalt as Remy the aforementioned talking rat. The piece is missing the stunning characters that populated their previous works like Finding Nemo, The Incredibles and Cars. Everything about this film seems lacking in when held up against Pixar's other films. For Pixar productions the bar is set high and this one just doesn't match up. But again, it is far better than most other kid's material so I have to ultimately recommend it. It may be timid and have some issues but it still family friendly and promotes good values and that counts for something.

Other Reviews:
The Phantom Tollbooth
eFilmCritic

A Few Good Men (1992)

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:22:08 PST

Should I see it?
No – a weak no.

Jack Nicholson is great in this movie and there’s a couple of brilliant scenes. The problem is that the rest of the film is a waste of time. Tom Cruise and Demi Moore are attractive leads, but they offer little and Kevin Pollack as the wisecracking sidekick just gets in the way. The politics of the piece are confused and the resolution defines “Hollywood ending”. Nicholson's striking performance is worth seeing however, it may be best to fast forward to his scenes and skip the rest.

Reviews:
DVD Verdict
DVD Town

Le Salaire de la peur "Wages of Fear" (1953)

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:20:50 PST

Should I see it?
No.

Henri-Georges Clouzot's classic film is a drab, drifting bore, at least for the first half. The storyline of a gang of tough guys who are hired to deliver a delicate shipment of nitroglycerin , which can blow up with the slightest bump, over impossible terrain, promises an effective thriller. It's actually a slow moving, self aware dud. Fleeting moments of suspense (and were probably something in their time) do exist but they come too few and too late. Don't let expectations get the better of you, avoid this one.

Reviews:
Roger Ebert
ReelViews

The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951)

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 09:54:40 PDT

Should I see it?
Yes.

James Mason does well with his performance as famed Nazi general Rommel. The piece as a whole works and gives an interesting look at this historical figure, but it is somewhat hindered by its style. Many movies from the fifties come across as stiff and distant from reality, the dialog is inorganic and the scenes don’t flow naturally. This film is stilted because of these things, but does manage some interesting scenes. The movie also gets a little absurd due to the choice of giving all of the German soldiers English accents. If your tastes would lead you to consider this, you’ll probably like it.

Reviews:
War Movie Blog
DVD Verdict

El Espinazo del diablo “The Devil’s Backbone” (2001)

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:19:43 PST

Should I see it?
Yes.

Fans of Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth will find familiar ground covered here. This earlier film shows del Toro’s touch and has the same mystical vibe as his international hit. Carlos (Fernando Tielve) is left at an far away orphanage in 1939 Spain. There he discovers the ghost of a boy who holds a secret that haunts the place. The final act gets a little rushed and there are some moments harsh sex and violence. Forgiving these things, the piece is intelligent and worthwhile.

Reviews:
Beyond Hollywood
Pop Matters

THE CARNIVAL OF CINEMA: EPISODE 54 – I KNOW WHAT YOU BLOGGED LAST SUMMER

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:18:58 PST

Welcome to this week’s installment of the Carnival of Cinema.

This is the place to be every Friday if you’re looking for the best in film reviews, cinema commentary, or industry advice. We sift through submissions from around the world, pick the best of the crop and serve them up just for you. Let's start out scary. Dr. Deb Serani tells you why you like all of those scary movies. We’re talking scary movies with intentional horror – Kathy Bates in About Schmidt. To have your affinity for zombie movies explained, head over to DR. DEB.

Continuing with the scary stuff we have Adam of ALL THINGS FILM reviewing the John Landis’ horror classic An American Werewolf in London.

What Jaws did for people at beaches, An American Werewolf in London did for people at rundown British porn theaters.

That only makes sense if you’ve seen the movie.

Moving on…

Paul McElligott chats about at least one scary movie this week. Over at CELLULOID HEROES, McElligott has more reviews than other sites have readers. From his pile o’ reviews this week he has looks at 1408, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension and Carnival of Souls.

Sticking with the carnival thing…

Nightmare Alley “deals with all sorts of topics from alcoholism to promiscuity to psychology to the con artists at a carnival.” according to Gracchi of WESTMINSTER WISDOM. Gracchi is great at finding intelligent films that many folks haven’t heard of .

From a movie you may have never heard of to one most would simply like to forget.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End stinks. Poor Jenny over at THE SO CALLED ME suffered through the wretched mess and has her thoughts available for your perusal. Click on over to her site for more.

Let’s talk about ugly people.

RAVI VORA has a relatively cruel, but yet somehow helpful post for all of you butt ugly people out there. If your face induces vomiting and scorn never fear, success can still be yours. Listen to what Ravi’s got for you.

Can you think of any actors Ravi missed?

If a post trying to help out folks who have faces that look like half digested dried apples is too mean for you, perhaps you’d do better with a review about a movie that will give you nice soft fuzzy feelings.

Dan in Real Life, Steve Carell’s latest is a touching, heart-warming fluff ball of a movie. NEWMAN'S OWN MOVIE CORNER’s Andrew Newman has the review.

If you’re not happy with heart warming flick then perhaps you’d prefer the happiness of a warm gun. Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe star in American Gangster. Per usual, General Disdain is all over the new releases. He has the review over at THE CRITICAL CRITICS.

Enough of this American film stuff.

Over at LEARN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE you can see a clip from the Argentinian movie El lado oscuro del corazón. Maria Fernandez says of the "This is one of the most magical and best written movies I've ever come across." Sounds good, click on over to see for yourself.

Our final post of the week comes from JOANNA ESPAÑA. Las 13 rosas tells the tale of 13 women who are executed by Franco's regime.

…and CUT!…and PRINT!

Thanks to everyone for their submissions. Have an opinion or article about the film industry? Have you reviewed a film or DVD? Have any tips on breaking into the biz?

Send submissions HERE!

FEATURE THIS CARNIVAL ON YOUR BLOG

Some other editions:
Carnival of Cinema Episode II
Carnival of Cinema Episode IV
Carnival of Cinema Episode XI
Carnival of Cinema Episode IX

SPIDER-MAN 3 (2007)

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 10:34:38 PST

SHORT REVIEW: Its good...except all of the parts they screwed up beyond repair.

When you have Peter Parker breaking out into a jazz dance routine in the middle of your narrative, you know someone is making bad decisions.

For those of you who haven’t seen the film, yes, Peter Parker a.k.a. Spider-Man breaks out into dance.

No, it doesn’t really make sense.

It’s one step away from a recreation of the parade scene from Ferris Bueller’s Day off where he leads a mob through a song and dance routine to the tune of Twist and Shout.

How is it that no one – NO ONE – said anything when this idea was pitched? “Hey maybe instead of having Peter Parker dancing and maybe we should spend more time on SPIDER-MAN FIGHTING BAD GUYS AND DOING SPIDER-MANNISH STUFF?”

I have a great appreciation for the first two Spider-Man films. They are wonderfully made, simple movies and they do nearly everything right. It is clear that director Sam Raimi (The Evil Dead, The Quick and the Dead, The Gift) has a strong affection for his subject matter and his talents as a director are on full display. I believe the problem this film runs into is that Raimi also co-wrote the script this time around with his brother (with some help from real screenwriter Alvin Sargent (who penned Spider-Man 2). It is clear that Raimi and his brother Ivan were given way too much control of the original narrative. They made some seriously bad decisions that threaten (and some will say succeed at) destroying their franchise.

Again, Peter Parker breaks out into dance – at a jazz club.

The story is really the culprit here. Where the first two films were studies in structure and restraint, this outing is a haphazard stew of a half of dozen themes, subplots and ideas. The piece moves in so many directions that it goes nowhere. To make things worse, the story has a tendency to break away from building itself to rest on the boring interactions between Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) and his continual love interest Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst). Any tension the couple may have had (which wasn’t much in the first place) is completely gone and the scenes of conflict in their relationship this time around rings hollow and weighs the picture down.

Like with the previous films, there are a number of strong moral and pro-Christian messages in the film (which I always applaud) but these are muddled by the botched plot and they lose their punch. By the time the film ends, none of the themes or morals shine through since everything has to be watered down to make room for all of the bells and whistles Raimi needs to attend to.

An example of how there are too man cooks in the narrative kitchen, Spider-Man has to contend with three villains, Sandman, Venom, and New Goblin. Raimi’s script is so crammed with villains and their own individual storylines that he has to rush through their development to get everything into his movie. None of these villains are allowed to develop naturally, their conflicts with Spider-Man seem compulsory and inorganic (even New Goblin, which is just Harry Osborn with a flying skateboard). Furthermore, Raini is on the hook to bring in all of the remaining characters from the previous movies and he has to showcase their various traits. This leads to pregnant moments where, for example, the film cuts away from the climactic scene to spend a minute with paper editor J. Jonah Jameson (J. K. Simmons) while he argues with a girl about borrowing her camera.

The character of Sandman is complete unneeded and the film should have concentrated on the lingering conflict between Peter Parker/Spider-Man and Harry Osborn/New Goblin along with the addition of Venom as a subplot. This would have provided a simple, straight forward narrative that would have inherent themes of revenge and forgiveness. With the addition of Sandman and the focus on Mary Jane, this film unfortunately fails. I wanted to like it, I wanted to recommend it – but I don’t and I can’t.

Delta Farce (2007)

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 10:34:17 PST

Should I see it?
No.

Coming to a WalMart bargain bin near you, this is utterly unwatchable - this is actually worse than it looks. Both Larry The Cable Guy and Bill Engvall, as funny as they can be at times, are both wasted in his hideous mess. The base concept, a group of weekend warriors are dumped in Mexico and mistake their location for Iraq is good but every other aspect is an insipid disaster. It only serves to humiliate everyone on screen as they struggle through sophomoric jokes and stilted dialog. This film isn't funny, it isn't clever, it isn't even structured all that well. It offers nothing.

Reviews:
FilmJerk
Monsters & Critics

Bella: Movie Review Roundup

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 10:33:58 PST

Alejandro Gomez Monteverde's Bella is out now. I am a huge supporter of independent film and love an underdog. This film shows that a commitment by the filmmakers and the dedication of supporters can get a movie off the ground.

The reviews of the film have been mixed. The MSM is crapping all over the piece but the audiences seem to love it.

Here is a roundup of reviews, mostly from bloggers. If the film is in a theater near you, read the thoughts of those who have seen it.

FamilyLife Culture Watch
Cottage Blessings

OneThing
Chasing the Wind
MercatorNet
Libertas
Frederica.com
The Family Room
The Anarchangel
Christianity Today
MovieGuide
Plugged In Online
Hollywood Jesus
The Big Picture
Creative Loafing
The Phantom Tollbooth
Collider.com
One News Now
FilmFodder
Ain't It Cool News
Cinema Attraction
SmartCine
Reel Film Reviews
World Magazine
Roger Ebert
Church of the Masses

If you have a review you'd like to add to the list feel free to contact me at carnivalofcinema at comcast dot net and I'd be more than happy to link you up.

Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988)

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 10:33:23 PST

Should I see it?
Yes.

A forgotten gem of a film that never received the attention it deserves. Jeff Bridges provides a lively performance as the car designer who ran with the big dogs for a while. Well crafted and beautifully shot, this is certain worth the price of a rental if what you’re looking for is not available.

Reviews:
DVD Verdict
Roger Ebert

Movie Review Link: Bella

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Nehring) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 10:32:56 PST

Alejandro Gomez Monteverde's Bella is coming to a theater near you. This independent film has gotten some great reviews and won the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Click on the poster to go the official site

Leticia of Cause of Our Joy has a review of this film over at MercatorNet

Click here to read the movie review

Here is the trailer

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THE DEPARTED (2006)

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Nehring The Edge: LADY IN THE WATER (2006) movie reviews
SHORT REVIEW: This is based on a story M. Night Shamalamadingdong would tell his kid before bedtime. It’s quite successful. It put me to sleep as well.
Nehring The Edge: THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006) movie reviews
SHORT REVIEW: It’s a Über-chick flick and I really enjoyed it. Don’t worry, when I was done watching I killed a bear with a knife, mangled things with a chainsaw and left the toilet seat up all night to recalibrate my masculinity.

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The Movie Review Diary

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Nehring The Edge

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