Movie reviews - 2004-04-08

  • 2004-04-08
The Cat in the Hat

The bright colours are nice / so what's to despise? / Well, everything else is my bet. / This film is not funny / it's a waste of your money / it'll possibly make you upset. / When Mother is gone / the Cat comes along / and wrecks the house with the kids. / They make a big mess / and if their mother saw this / she would probably blow her lid. / The kids are all yelling / it's not very compelling / and the grownups are even worse. / They act hyperactive / which isn't attractive / and this is the film's biggest curse. / Alec Baldwin is dense / Mike Myers an offense / as a cat with a hat and the accent of Shrek / which grates on the viewer till he's a wreck. / Kids are far brighter / than "Cat" will admit. / It wants to excite us/ but ends up as ****.

Julie Vinten

Without a doubt, this could have been a superb children's movie if it had stayed with the original Dr. Seuss tale. Unfortunately this Hollywood version is filled with too many in-jokes and a crude sense of humor aimed way over the target audience's innocent little heads. First of all, Mike Myers (better known as Austin Powers) is just awful in the lead role. He simply is not funny. The American actor's Cat is an overweight stand-up comic spouting flatulent one-liners. This is totally the opposite of what the sleek, intelligent and inventive Cat from the 1957 book is all about. The production design is visually awesome, although reminiscent of Tim Burton's work. The supporting actors, especially Dakota Fanning, Spencer Breslin and Sean Hayes are fun to watch.

Laimons Juris G


Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed

This film was just mildly irritating rather than immensely awful, as this reviewer had expected. For those who think that talking in weird voices is hilarious, this is a hit. The rest can just sit back and wonder why this film ultimately became so stupid, since the filmmakers obviously aren't. "Scooby-Doo 2" demonstrates in glimpses that its makers possess imagination and inventiveness, but the rest of the time deliberately choose idiocy over intellect. The film believes that a kids' movie should include silly dialogue and exclude good storytelling (since children don't care about that anyway), but had the focus been different, the film could have worked for both children and adults, instead of not really working at all.

Julie Vinten

One question immediately comes to mind after viewing this second grueling installment: do kids really watch these kinds of movies? A little bit of research reveals some shocking statistics: yes, they do. On its opening weekend "Scooby-Doo 2" earned $30 million, as well as the number one spot, at the box office. The good news is that this is $20 million less than the first picture earned. It's actually embarrassing to watch Sarah Michelle Gellar aand Freddie Prinze Jr. awkwardly cavorting as super sleuths against the computer-generated bad guys. It would have been smarter to just leave Scooby-Doo as an animated cartoon. Filmgoers who like bad puns or are avid fans of the first film or the TV series will enjoy it.

Laimons Juris G


The Passion of the Christ

This reviewer is no believer, but recognizes an enormously powerful film when she sees one. The film deals with the last hours of Jesus' life and is likely the most violent film ever made. If one believes in the Bible, then God loves man so much that he let Jesus suffer and die for our sins. Gibson didn't use such extreme violence merely for show, but because our salvation didn't come cheaply. Take it or leave it. The film is visually beautiful and Jim Caviezel is an ideal, radiant choice as Jesus. The film has weak moments, and it's rigidly one-sided, but so is its source, which makes it a perfect adaptation. Flaws or no flaws, its impact is unmistakable and Gibson's hand never wavers in its vision, which is nothing less than thunderous.

Julie Vinten

"The Passion of the Christ" is one of the most magnificent films this reviewer has ever seen. It is so raw and realistic, it will leave you emotionally drained or even crying out loud. Director Mel Gibson grapples with his Christian roots and ably demonstrates what filmmaking is all about today. This is Gibson's personal and spiritual audit based on the words of Jesus: "You are my friends, and the greatest love a person can have for his friends is to give his life for them." Actor Jim Caviezel is more than astonishing, he is genuinely convincing in his heartfelt performance as Christ the Savior. You don't have to be a religious nut to appreciate a beautiful work of art. You will be hearing languages spoken 2,004 years ago: Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin and Greek (with subtitles in Latvian and Russian if you are in Riga).

Laimons Juris G

Bonny and Kong

A truly American dispute has arisen over two new movies about the most famous homunculus of them all - Napoleon. The makers of "The Monster of Longwood," which is to star Al Pacino as Napoleon, have alleged that the makers of "Napoleon and Betsy" stole its script ideas and lead actress. "Napoleon and Betsy" is to star Scarlett Johansson as a British woman who befriended Bonny during his exile in St. Helena. She read for "The Monster of Longwood" last year, her mother was one of its producers and the scriptwriter for "Napoleon and Betsy" wrote an earlier draft for "The Monster of Longwood."


Comedian Jack Black has signed up to star alongside Naomi Watts in "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson's remake of "King Kong." Black is set to play Carl Denham, the snappy showman who captures the giant ape. Adrien Brody, the Oscar-winning star of "The Pianist," is in talks to play the role of Jack Driscoll, a WWI flying ace. The film is due to be released in Dec. 2005 and will be the monster sized simian's third screen incarnation.