Rick's Flicks Picks on AWN

This film was the first theatrical release in the popular Japanese horror series and now it has come to theaters in the States (but a good indie video store may have an import to rent). Having seen the two preceding direct-to-videos in this series, I'm very aware of how this haunted house story came to be. This film recaps the murder that started the curse then jumps into how it continues.

Rika (Megumi Okina, ST. JOHN'S WORT) is a volunteer social worker, who is sent to the haunted house to check on an old woman (Chikako Isomura), who seems to be petrified with fear. Having seen the first two films in the series, I know what Rika is in for, but the film does a great job of creating its own dread. Once Rika is infected with the house's curse – the curse moves from person to person. As the film goes along, we learn more about the old woman's family and what happened to them inside the house. As the bodies pile up and others go insane, detective Toyama (Yoji Tanaka, TABOO), who has connections to the murders that started the curse, is assigned to investigate.

This musical biography of Cole Porter is the first film that really deals with his bisexuality, which is good and bad at the same time. It's good because it is interesting to see a real life person from the '30s and '40s who was not ashamed about his sexuality. However, the film ends up dwelling on the struggle between Porter's homosexual urges and his love for his wife Linda (Ashley Judd, HEAT). Nonetheless, Kevin Kline (IN & OUT) leads a solid cast, which is lifted up past its problems on the wings of Porter wondrous songs.

The film has an ingenious structure having a dying Porter watching an otherworldly stage production of his life's story. Likewise, the film uses tons of Porter music as dramatic montages of the events in Porter's life. As the screenwriter Jay Cocks (THE AGE OF INNOCENCE) said at the screening I went to, "Porter said it better than I could." In many cases the Porter songs take on more complex meaning knowing they were probably not written solely about a woman. Porter was a worldly man who lived life for all its vices without an ounce of shame. This often made him come off as insensitive, though he never seems to have cruelty in his heart, or apologies on his lips. Cole and Linda had an arrangement, but it seems to be very one sided with Cole able to write emotional lyrics, but not understand them fully. In some way it seems he is in a desperate search of the ultimate love that he can only find in his songs.

Biopics are sometimes tough to make. Sometimes, they're just a highlight reel of the person's life. This film suffers from the opposite problem and seems stuck in first gear about Cole and Linda's relationship. This would be okay if the underlying themes were stronger like in the Iris Murdoch biopic, IRIS. Therefore, DE-LOVELY keeps an audience, which may not know much about Porter, in the dark about what made him so special in context to his place in history. One thing the film implies was that writing hit songs was no more difficult for him than signing his name.

The film is still enjoyable on a surface level. Kline and Judd are quite convincing in their roles and make you care about the characters. Then you get the music, which is the main reason to see this film. Big musical stars like Alanis Morissette, Elvis Costello, Diana Krall, Natalie Cole and Sheryl Crow all perform some of Porter's greatest tunes. I especially liked Morissette's rendition of "Let's Do It, Let's Fall In Love." In the end the film works as a tribute to Porter as a songwriter and an unashamed lover of life in general.

M. Night Shyamalan became a name director with this film and hasn't looked back since. The film starts with psychiatrist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis, DIE HARD) and his wife Anna Crowe (Olivia Williams, PETER PAN) as they celebrate Malcolm winning an award for his work, which has consumed his life. Then comes a tragic event that puts a bigger wedge between the couple. Malcolm seeks redemption in helping troubled child Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment, SECONDHAND LIONS), who claims to see dead people.

The core theme of the film is people learning to communicate with each other — Malcolm with Anna and Cole with his mother Lynn (Toni Collette, JAPANESE STORY). If you know anything about Shyamalan's films there is always a big "twist" revelation at the end. Knowing the twist and watching the film a second time, I was surprised at how engaging the film still was. It's because the twist is based in the characters not the plot. It's a revelation to the characters as much as it is to the audience.

This psychological thriller from Stephen King presents a common protagonist for the writer — an author whose mental state is challenged. Based on a short story from King's collection FOUR PAST MIDNIGHT, writer/director David Koepp crafts his best directorial effort after writing scripts for such films as JURASSIC PARK, CARLITO'S WAY, SPIDER-MAN and PANIC ROOM.

Mort Rainey (Johnny Depp, ED WOOD) is a successful writer, who finds himself confronted by a man named John Shooter (John Turturro DO THE RIGHT THING), who claims that Mort stole his story. If this isn't enough to deal with, Mort is going through a divorce from his wife Amy (Monica Bello, THE COOLER), who he caught having an affair with Ted Milner (Timothy Hutton, ORDINARY PEOPLE). Mort is depressed and sleeps a lot. He talks to his dog and himself and begins to drink and smoke again. All of this is exaggerated by the increasingly creepier behavior of John Shooter. Eventually, Mort hires P.I. Ken Karsch (Charles S. Dutton, GOTHIKA) to find out more info on Shooter. All of this just makes Mort more and more paranoid.

Stephen Herek has a sketchy resume with films like DON'T TELL MOM THE BABYSITTERS DEAD and CRITTERS along with MR. HOLLAND'S OPUS. But if he is remembered for anything it will probably be BILL & TED. But really this isn't a director's film. It launched the career of Keanu Reeves as Ted Theodore Logan. Along with Bill S. Preston Esp. (Alex Winter, THE LOST BOYS), the two characters have joined the lexicon on pop culture stars. When was the last time you saw BILL & TED and when was the last time you referenced it? Most often it's the later no matter how long it has been since the former.

The story goes as follows: Bill and Ted have formed the band Wyld Stallyns. However, they're about to fail history, which will lead to Ted being sent away to military school in Alaska. This "tragedy" needs to be prevented because Wyld Stallyns' music will one day bring peace to Earth with its message of being excellent to each other and partying on. So Rufus (George Carlin, DOGMA) is sent back in time to give the boys a time machine so they can pass their history report. Bill and Ted decide to collect various historical figures and have them check out their modern hometown of San Dimas, California. Craziness and mishaps ensue as they do this.

When I reviewed PASSION OF THE CHRIST, I said God bless Mel Gibson for making a movie that spurred people to talk about religion. So in turn I say God bless Michael Moore for making FAHRENHEIT 9/11, spurring people to talk about the other topic you don't bring up in polite conversation – politics.

Moore is a liberal and makes no bones about it. The controversy surrounding this film and Moore is pretty much unwarranted due to the fact that there is nothing in the film that hasn't been covered in the mainstream media before. Moore just highlights the things that in his opinion are damning evidence that president George W. Bush is beholden to Saudi money, leading the U.S. in the wrong direction and otherwise a complete moron. The movie is quite convincing. Moore makes his argument clear and backs up what he says. This isn't a "fair and balanced" documentary; it's a 2-hour op-ed piece. It will make you laugh, cry and angry (what makes you angry may depend on what your political leanings are). I urge everyone to see this film with an open mind, especially if you are even thinking for a slight moment to vote for GW. I would love to see the other side counter the points that are brought up in the film. Moore has an army of lawyers ready for any charge. If this film doesn't make you want to run GW out of the White House then nothing will.

I will say from the start – this is the best comic book movie ever made. It has the perfect balance between action, character and smarts. I was an avid reader of SPIDER-MAN comics in my youth and this film captures everything that made those stories great.

Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire, THE ICE STORM) is now working in New York City as a pizza delivery boy to try and make ends meet. He's always late for everything – school, work, appointments with friends – because he's off saving the day. Peter even discovers that the bank has put a foreclosure notice on the house of his beloved Aunt May (Rosemary Harris, SUNSHINE).

What's so wonderful about this film is that the script fleshes out the other characters in Peter's life. Along with the supporting cast, Spider-Man becomes more real – he's a hero like every other hero whether a cop or a fireman or the simple person who risks their life to do the right thing. Spider-Man just has a few more tricks in his bag. The idea that "with great power comes great responsibility" is sold perfectly in this film.

There are certain directors who could film a person reading a book and you'd be able to find something truly wonderful within it. David Mamet is one of those directors for me. He is hands down the modern master of con-game thrillers.

Scott (Val Kilmer, TOMBSTONE) is a tough-guy CIA agent who we meet as he's training new recruits Curtis (Derek Luke, PIECES OF APRIL) and Jackie Black (Tia Texada, NURSE BETTY). Scott gets called onto a top level kidnapping case. It's the president's daughter, Laura Newton (Kristen Bell, POOTIE TANG). How could the Secret Service let this happen? That's about as much information as I will reveal. The trailer does great disservice to the film's surprises. So I'd recommend not watching it before seeing the film.

Like the original SCREAM film, the characters know the rules of horror flicks -- even the rules of horror sequels. Higher body count and more gore. This "rule" typically ruins other horror sequels and succeeds in doing the same with SCREAM 2.

The film opens with the premiere of "Stab," which was based on a book about the events of the first film written by news reporter Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox, TV's FRIENDS). The lead Sidney (Neve Campbell, THE COMPANY), nerdy Randy (Jamie Kennedy, MALIBU'S MOST WANTED) and now crippled police officer Dewey (David Arquette, THE GREY ZONE) all return. Added to the cast is Laurie Metcalf (TV's ROSEANNE) as a local reporter, Jerry O'Connell (JERRY MAGUIRE) as Sidney's new boyfriend Derek, Timothy Olyphant (ROCK STAR) as Derek's best friend, Sarah Michelle Gellar (TV's BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER) as a sorority chick, Liev Schreiber (A WALK ON THE MOON) as the man Sidney originally fingered as her mother's killer and Jada Pinkett Smith and Omar Epps as the token black couple.

This is one of the best films of 2003 easily. Top three. Most films rarely have one complexly drawn character and this film has three. It's a story of strangers. One shelters himself and one opens up to anyone and the third is stuck in between. There are many reasons why they are estranged from other people. It is the mystery of the story for us to discover those reasons.

Finbar McBride (Peter Dinklage, ELF) is a little person, who works in a model train store. Through a tragedy, he inherits an old train depot in New Jersey. Across from his new home is a hot dog stand where the extremely extroverted and persistent Joe Oramas (Bobby Cannavale, THE GURU) works. As we quickly see being a little person brings a lot of unwanted attention and Fin has learned to keep his distance from people. He then runs into (or more like the other way around) artist Olivia Harris (Patricia Clarkson, ALL THE REAL GIRLS). Before too long the three strike up a friendship, but past wounds put their relationship in jeopardy.

This was a film from 2001 that escaped my viewing for too long. I came and went in the theaters and the only reviewer that I read at the time, Mr. Ebert, only gave it two stars. But then, three of its four leads were nominated for Oscars and Jim Broadbent (BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY) won best supporting actor. I must admit that before this movie I didn't know who Iris Murdoch was. The movie wasn't a highlight reel of her life's accomplishments, but captured her ideas and nature and wrapped it into a larger poem on the cruelty of Alzheimer's disease.

The film flashes back from the 1950s to the 1990s looking at Iris at the beginning of her career (Kate Winslet, HEAVENLY CREATURES) and then at the end of her life played by Dame Judi Dench (MRS. BROWN). However, you could argue that the film's central character is Iris' husband John Bayley played by Hugh Bonneville (MANSFIELD PARK) as a young man and Broadbent older.

This film is a meandering ode on school shootings. Unlike the TV's movie BANG, BANG, YOU'RE DEAD, this film doesn't try to make a grander message about why school shootings happen. It just shows this particular event unfolding. The film watches as the characters go through their day — one that many won't survive.

John (John Robinson) is the son of an alcoholic and has had many visits to the principal's office. Elias (Elias McConnell) is a photography student. Nathan (Nathan Tyson) is the big man on campus and a lifeguard. His girlfriend is Carrie (Carrie Finklea), who may or may not be pregnant. Jordan (Jordan Taylor), Nicole (Nicole George) and Brittany (Brittany Mountain) are a gaggle of popular girls who have an unusual group ritual they do. Michelle (Kristen Hicks) is a nerdy girl, who doesn't like to wear shorts in gym class. Benny (Bennie Dixon) is an African-American athlete who helps John's girlfriend Acadia (Alicia Miles) escape from the school. Alex (Alex Frost) and Eric (Eric Deulen) are the killers. While watching them prepare for their murderous actions, we get glimpses of some of their motivations for doing what they do, but nothing is definitive.