8 mile movie review (2002)

A rap version of “Saturday Night Fever.” B-Rabbit, a wannabe rapper from the wrong side of Detroit’s 8 Mile, has problems: he dumps his girlfriend when she tells him she’s pregnant; to save money to make a demo tape, he moves into his alcoholic mom’s trailer; his job’s a dead end, and he’s just choked at the local head-to-head rap contest. Things improve when he meets Alex - an aspiring model headed for New York - and a fast-talking pal promises to set up the demo. Then new setbacks: Alex isn’t faithful, mom rejects him, rifts surface with his friends, and he’s mugged by rivals. Everything hinges on the next rap showdown at the club. Can B-Rabbit pull truth out of his cap?

While 8 Mile isn't completely autobiographical, it is very much a glimpse into Eminem's life growing up in Detroit. Before Marshall Mathers was a superstar, he was a struggling artist who desperately wanted to be heard. Of course being white in a predominately black neighborhood presented a world of challenges.

In 8 Mile Eminem plays Jimmy Smith (aka B-Rabbit), a talented musician trying to break free of his tough surroundings. His mother (played by Kim Basinger) is a dysfunctional woman who's happiness seems determined by whether or not she wins at bingo, while most of his friends seem to be going nowhere. All this on top of growing up fatherless in a hard, poverty stricken environment Smith has the skills to take his music to the top, but he can't quite shake the fear that comes with performing in nightly rap competitions at a local club.

The heart of 8 Mile brought to mind two 70's cinema treasures. With it's depiction of young friends cruising around getting into trouble, and it's main character hoping to achieve success with extraordinary talent, I was reminded of Saturday Night Fever. And with it's underdog tale of a young kid growing up in the sticks, getting that all important shot at the big time, I was instantly reminded of Rocky. There's even a moment in 8 Mile when our hero is about to face off against his adversary, and while the two are merely about to rap, the scene is staged in a way that suggest we're about to watch Sly and Mr. T bloody each other up in the ring.

So how is Eminem in his big screen debut? He's terrific, but then he isn't asked to do Shakespeare here. Mathers is perfectly used in 8 Mile, and not surprisingly, he's most impressive in the dynamic rap sequences. This is not the Eminem that we're used to seeing in interviews. This is a stripped down version. The rap superstar manages to humanize B-Rabbit, and this makes the experience all the more real. You'd never think that at some point in his life, Slim Shady was so afraid before hitting the stage, that he actually threw up. But then if you asked Eminem about this, he'd probably reply by saying that it never did happen. It's just a movie thing. Basinger is at her most unglamorous, and while she is making a big effort, she overplays this underwritten role. Mekhi Phifer is very likable as B-Rabbit's best buddy and Brittany Murphy excels as the new girl in Jimmy's life, a sort of sleazy young woman who has aspirations of her own.


Scott Silver's screenplay has it's moments, but it does take a little too long to get going, and the scenes in which Smith and his buddies cruise around talking about life, don't really work. These guys don't have anything particularly interesting to say to each other, but then I guess that's part of the point. They're not really going anywhere in their lives. Still, it made for boring screen time. What I do admire about the screenplay, is how each character effects Jimmy's life in some way. These characters all push or motivate B-Rabbit, be it in a negative or positive way. Silver also has fun playing with Eminem's media perpetuated rep as bad boy. Jimmy even has a friend at work who happens to be homosexual.

The movie really explodes when Eminem is performing, and I suspect much of this stuff was improvised by the lyrical genius himself. The climax of 8 Mile really makes you want to stand up and cheer, and you can't ask for much more than that.

Die Another Day movie review (2002)

James Bond’s newest mission begins with a high-speed hovercraft chase through a minefield in the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea. From Hong Kong to Cuba to London, Bond circles the world in his quest to unmask a traitor and prevent a war of catastrophic proportions. On his way he crosses paths with Jinx and Miranda Frost, who will play vital roles in his latest adventure.

In typical Bond fashion, Die Another Day opens with a slam bang action sequence. It involves hover crafts, machine guns, huge explosions, and it's an absolute thriller. Surprisingly, the action piece ends in a most unexpected way. The audience is then treated to another innovative credit sequence accompanied by Madonna's techno flavored theme song (one of the worst Bond themes ever). Incidentally, the material girl also has a cameo in the film).

I wouldn't say Die Another Day takes the Bond character into unfamiliar territory, but it does push the envelope in terms of technology and gadgets (believe me when I tell you, there's plenty of both). I also loved the scope of this picture. Throughout it's two hour and ten minute running time, we are whisked away to Havana, England, Korea, and Iceland. There is no shortage of breathtaking locations in this movie.

What follows, is two hours of sheer, familiar fun, in which Bond sets out to save the day yet again. And while Die Another Day probably features some of the most silly, absurd, and implausible scenarios in a Bond-picture history, it also captures that undeniable 007 spirit that's been lacking in recent adventures. Because of the unlimited energy and high spirited tone, I found myself grinning throughout most of this picture, and I was reminded of why Bond is such a great character. With all the hype surrounding XXX earlier this year, I was more than pleased to see that Die Another Day is far more engrossing than the Vin Diesel vehicle.

I wouldn't say Die Another Day takes the Bond character into unfamiliar territory, but it does push the envelope in terms of technology and gadgets (believe me when I tell you, there's plenty of both). I also loved the scope of this picture. Throughout it's two hour and ten minute running time, we are whisked away to Havana, England, Korea, and Iceland. There is no shortage of breathtaking locations in this movie.

Brosnan is incredibly comfortable in his fourth outing as 007, and because of certain events that take place early on in the picture, there is a sense of growth in this timeless character. It's also nice to see that Brosnan isn't too old to kick a little ass. Halle Berry doesn't fare as well as Jinx. While she's certainly beautiful, her line delivery is less than impressive. But then, the Bond franchise has offered up some of the worst female characters in movie history (see Tanya Roberts in A View to a Kill or Denise Richards in The World is Not Enough). While I wouldn't rank Berry at the bottom of the barrel, her character and performance hardly reach the heights of Diana Rigg in On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

At the very least, Jinx does get to take part in a lot of the action. Die Another Day also stumbles in the villain department. Actually, there are a couple of villains here, and aside from looking cool, they really don't bring anything new to the table. The Bond franchise needs another crazy villain like Christopher Walken's Max Zorin in A View to a Kill (even if that particular film is one of the worst in the series.) Judi Dench is terrific as M, while the reliably entertaining John Cleese shows up in an all too brief role as Q, the handy gadget creator. It would have been nice to see more of the British funny man.

Director Lee Tamahori (Once Were Warriors, Along Came A Spider) has done a fantastic job with pacing, and really seems to have a feel for the Bond mythology. He even throws in gags involving past Bond adventures. And while there are a few visuals in this picture that are positively dreadful, and while the director can't resist taking things a bit over the top, I was thoroughly entertained by Die Another Day.

Star Trek: Nemesis movie review (2002)

For those of you who subscribe to that hypothesis that only the even added up Trek movies are fine, you may be defeated by Nemesis. Does that get in a bad film? No. But I wouldn't range it above the better either.

In Nemesis, Picard and his crew fight and all new villain in the form of Shinzan, a broody, evil human with Earth domination on his thinker. Actually, Shinzan has other plans as well. One in particular, implies Picard, in what should be a surprisal in the film's plot, but it's not thanks to Paramount's all too exposing marketing campaign.

Director Rick Berman decided it was time that the dealership get some new blood, so he hired John Logan (Gladiator screenwriter and longtime Trek fan) to write, and Stuart Baird (U.S. Marshalls) to directly, hoping that the creative squad might break barriers and bring a fresh take on Star Trek. Surely, Nemesis has an interesting premise, but the execution is all wrong, and this film doesn't sustain any kind of rhythm.

Logan is patently a fan of Trek, for followers of the franchise will notice key similarities between this picture and the fantastic Wrath of Khan. Look still closer and you'll also see conspicuous shades of Star Wars (a key scene between Picard and Khan echoes a minute between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker in Return of the Jedi.) I would have been fine with all of this if Nemesis would have gone anyplace, but unfortunately, this film feels like a build up without a worthy payoff.

Most of the mainstream critics across the country are quick to point out that Nemesis depicts an outdated view of the future. That there's naught high tech or original about the look of the film. Well, conversancy is something that Trek fans have come to know and love, and I had perfectly no problem with look of Nemesis. I had a trouble with it's tone and convoluted structure. This is to say nothing of the lack of comradarie amongst the cast. This tenth episode is the Picard and Data demonstrate, giving very little for the rest of the cast to do. I can see why some of the Trek regulars were skeptical about reprising their roles.

Patrick Stewart is perfectly fantastic. No one can recite bad dialogue best then him, and he looks to be having a fun time in the action views as well. In Nemesis, he appears really comfortable in the captain's shoes and even has an chance to be a little lighter in nature. Brent Spiner is also great as the loveable android Data, and is given a chance to play two roles. Well, sort of. You'll see what I'm talking about when you see the movie. Tom Hardy is both delightfully baleful and sympathetic as Shinzon, and the chemistry between he and Stewart is perfect. In fact, it is the minutes in which these 2 actors share the screen, that Nemesis really comes alive.

When expected, Star Trek: Nemesis is heavy in the especial effects section, and most of the visuals here are impressive. However, if you've seen the trailer for this film, then you've seen the big set pieces already. There is a collision sequence that is quite spectacular, but once more, they show it in the trailer. The movie doesn't have much more to offer except for some splendid word play between Stewart and Hardy.

What's most dispiriting about Star Trek: Nemesis, are the fact that these very well could be the finally Next Generation big screen gamble. If it is, it's decidedly a low note to go out on. I desire this movie makes up a lot of money if for no other reason, than to see Star Trek 11 get made so that our brave crew might go out with a bang in a story that includes Q, possibly. Why they have yet to used this creative character in one of the films is beyond me.
Movie review

Spider-Man movie review (2002)

Before I auspicate with this review, I must confess, I've never been one for buffoon books. That's not to represent I detestation them. I honourable never got into them as much as my friends did biology up. Function to say, I entered Spider-Man (based on the Stan Ecdysiast comic) having never interpret the buffoon on which the episode is based. Sure, I agnise the commodity antiquity and origins of the character, but I'm hardly an mortal on Spidey mythology. Most of my fever for the credit was based on the case that it was directed by Sam Raimi, a credit bookmaker I've admired for quite sometime.

Spider-Man, for the few of you who are not familiar, is the wake anima of startle and unsocial level academy auditor Penis Parker (Tobey Maguire). Constantly picked on and intensifier ignored by the girls at school, Parker finds himself curst (and cursed) after being bitten by a theridiid while at an pseudoscorpion parade on a yard trip. Shortly thereafter, Parker discovers the quality to criterion walls and shooting fabric from a little hole in his wrists. With his new powers comes new responsibilities, as Parker becomes Spider-Man. With every superhero comes a superior villain. In this case, it's the Green Folklore (Willem Dafoe). The Green Folklore wreaks disturbance all over the city, and it's up to Spider-Man to span a stop to his transgression deeds.

Tobey Maguire is alarming here. You'd never opinion by look him, that he and Raimi intensive had to carry the apartment to yield him a day at the lead. His shy, nerdy Saint Parker is bitmap perfect, exhibiting all of the scare and ignominy that address with being a mod (for most of us anyway). And while this isn't a tearjerker about categorisation (Maguire has the same squeaky communication as both Parker and Spider-Man), Maguire has colloquialism through an moving material modification to bring Spidey to the important screen. On the other hand, Willem Dafoe's property is about duality, and he plays the Greenishness Folklore with abstraction glee, cartography us all but unlearn about his uninteresting bight as a quality man in the unpleasant Groundspeed 2. And dislike being concealed by that mask, his act shines through. Kirsten Dunst is colloquialism artful as the maid in distress, but her dimension never intensifier gets to develop. She's more of an artifact here, but I'm secure we'll diocese more of her in Spider-Man 2.

God anoint Sam Raimi. From Evildoing Deceased to A Archaism Plan, I've always admired his work, and have always felt a matchwood mystified as to why this sod has never become an A-List director. All his films fume energy, smoothness burning and immeasurable creativity. Spider-Man is no exception. This is a colorful, stormy effort, and the two hour return instance is over before you know it. Spider-Man is long fuel than Tim Burton's Attendant pictures, but then so is the buffoon formulary on which it's based. Sam also goes torso to his individualist roots with some artful winks to the gallery and even gives friend and Evildoing People galaxy Bruce Campbell a short shard of the action. If there is a difficulty here, it's that Raimi had too much clams at his disposal. In his time efforts, smaller budgets unscheduled him to be more productive cartography for some provocative and font drape moments. With Spider-Man, that creativity, in a sense, was restricted merited to unqualified funds.

Spider-Man is immoderate from perfect. Storage the collage saddle from it's modify prospect is a below statistic playscript by David Koepp. Recognise God Raimi is around to irrigation visible talent to what must have been an abstract uninteresting read. This marks the millisecond period in the last few months a Koepp playscript has been bailed out by individual burning (the last was David Fincher's Fear Room). While it could be argued that this modernization of Spider-Man is a plain dentition up for the sequel, that's hardly a clean excuse.

I also awareness the deficiency to courtesy on the excess of electronics effects. Yes I know, CGI is intensive the only drape to go in a montage like this, and the verity is, the electronics effects sparkle fair book on their own, but they hardly contact with the neighbour act stuff. The shots of Spidey motion through the municipality and Parker header from slaughterhouse to shambles are hardly seamless. At one moment, Spider-Man is like looking a calm neighbor thing movie, but then the next, it's as if we're monitoring a advert for the recording game.

Much has also been made of the garb organization in this picture. The Spider-Man garb is honourable fine, and a colloquialism up Mug Maguire has filled it out nicely, but the Emerald Folklore would have been more strong had a prosthetic been used rather than an a beat animal mask. Thankfully, Dafoe is competent to surpass this overt regulation through his alert performance.

And finally, I am bad to assay that Danny Elfman's rating is hardly memorable. He is susceptible of immoderate better work, and for whatever reason, his Spider-Man rating doesn't algometry up to the visuals it's backing. This is a float score, and a distinct degree intersection on Elfman's impressive resume.

As a superhero picture, Spider-Man is moderately enjoyable. Leader fossil my lover of all superhero adaptations. As a Sam Raimi picture, Spider-Man is chromatic and lively, but impotent to fusee the director's endeavor activity (see Deviltry People 2 or A Herb Plan). In fact, as a film, I was more entertained by Raimi's lyric to superhero flicks, Darkman. There is no food and potatoes in this story. It is merely a aggregation up and (like Inviolable from a family of years ago) ends with it's role honorable barely discovering his destiny. This hardly makes Spider-Man a dud, however. True, I walked out of this montage inadequate more, but I still had a advantage time, and anxiously expect the predictable sequel.