This week
Be Cool
Constantine
Robots
Be Cool
Director: F. Gary Gray
Director F. Gary Gray manages to reduce this sequel to "Get Shorty" to rubble. "Be Cool" is so busy making references to "Get Shorty" - or a character, song and dance from anywhere else - that the movie amounts to nothing on its own. "Be Cool" isn't one of Elmore Leonard's superior novels, but the book has style and produces some good laughs. It's quite a different story with this painfully forced and clumsy movie. Gray has completely misunderstood the concept of this sequel and the book it's adapted from. Though people were occasionally falling down stairs, "Get Shorty" was never aimless slapstick, but more of "Pulp Fiction" light. This is a pointless farce with comical timing that never once hits the mark.
1/2 (Julie Vinten)
"Be Cool" is a perfectly radiant title for some great movie, but this definitely isn't the one. Apparently this is a sequel to that overrated hit "Get Shorty," made back in 1995 's unfortunately it comes along much too late to really care about. A first-string group of actors, including John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Vince Vaughn, and Danny DeVito try to put some life into it, even though it's D.O.A. Playing a weird assortment of punks and pimps, the characters are as stiff as cardboard cutouts. If this is supposed to be a comedy it's not very funny; if it's a drama it's just not very convincing. The Rock shines brightest in a supporting role as a gay bodyguard. Something never quite clicks in this uneventful slice of Hollywood schlock.
1/2 (Laimons Juris G)
Constantine
Director: Francis Lawrence
John Constantine is no Superman. He is an anti-hero, exorcising demons from human bodies more for his own salvation than for ours. Based on the DC/Vertigo graphic novel "Hellblazer," "Constantine" is a true comic-book movie both in appearance and story. The dialogue and narrative could have used a little fine-tuning here and there, but this supernatural thriller is generally atmospheric, suspenseful and carries a distinguished flavor. This is music video director Francis Lawrence's first feature, and he has made the switch without too much difficulty. He has a good understanding of special effects and has created an attention-grabbing movie with well-balanced pace. Overall, the producers have succeeded in making what they wanted: a dark and sinister, yet entertaining movie. For genre fans, "Constantine" is quite a treat.
1/2 (Julie Vinten)
This movie really sucks. How much did the producers pay to get Keanu Reeves and Rachel Weisz to star in this appalling drivel? It's a fact that both thespians always deliver skillful screen performances, no matter how awful the script. They are immensely likable in whatever roles they portray and both are a lot of fun to watch. Nevertheless, despite Reeves and Weisz, "Constantine" is a nauseous waste of spectacular effects, good talent and your precious time. Unless, of course, you want to kill some brain cells for two hours. In that case, don't miss this dysfunctional nonsense disseminating itself through empty space. The movie dismisses religion as irrelevant superstition and proceeds to spout its own dim-witted, commercially oriented, comic-book babble to make millions and millions of bucks. Who needs it? A complete disaster! (Laimons Juris G)
Robots
Director: Chris Wedge
"Robots" is a sweet, but unfortunately hollow animation experience. Technically, the feature is strong and the colorful robot-world is appealing. The action sequences carry this animated comedy at a swift pace, but that doesn't keep it from becoming somewhat dull. The movie is full of recycled characters and jokes, but it's the narrative's endless predictability that truly brings "Robots" to its knees. Director Chris Wedge's animated feature "Ice Age" wasn't extraordinary, but, unlike his futuristic flick, did have its moments of inspired fun. Pixar has mastered the ability of weaving great visuals and excellent storytelling into computer-animated features 's something this film, created by Fox's animation studio Blue Sky, rather lacks. "Robots" is clearly watchable, but whether the movie is truly worth watching is less certain.
(Julie Vinten)
Here's a wonderfully quirky animated feature that's a corny treat for the entire family. A droll storyline provides a barrel of laughs while the riveting action keeps the nuts and bolts turning at a brisk pace. Small town robot Rodney Copperbottom (voice of Ewan McGregor) goes to Robot City to make a name for himself as an inventor. The transportation system in this futuristic Big Apple is a downright blast, and provides for some of the film's more memorable moments. Halle Berry, Robin Williams, Mel Brooks, James Earl Jones, Greg Kinnear, Paul Giamatti, Jay Leno 's it would be easier to list who is not voicing one of the characters in this star-studded burlesque. Though a bit overboard with all the fart jokes, "Robots" is good family fare, and there's a pun for everyone.
(Laimons Juris G)
