Movie Review Black Los Angeles

BlackNLA Movie Reviews

*****THE REEL DEAL: Reviewz from the Street*****

by Edwardo Jackson

BIASES: Early 30s black male; frustrated screenwriter who favors action, comedy, and glossy, big budget movies over indie flicks, kiddie flicks, and weepy Merchant Ivory fare

WEEKEND REVIEW: 2/19/07

A few capsules for movies out or that came out last weekend…

GHOST RIDER (PG-13)
Biases: This could be really decent or an out-and-out disaster – there is no in between, above, or below.
Players: Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, writer/director Mark Steven Johnson

Logline: Having backed into a deal with the Devil/Mephistopheles (Peter Fonda) at an early age, motorcycle stuntman Johnny Blaze (Cage) is literally indestructible. When Mephistopheles comes to collect on his debt by turning Blaze into a skull-blazing, chain-link whip wielding soldier against his son turned rival Blackheart (Wes Bentley), those Johnny loves – namely his childhood sweetheart now all
grown up Roxanne (Mendes) – are put in danger.

The Deal: Everyone else has been calling this movie cheesy so far be it for me to follow the pack. However, "Ghost Rider" does have a distinct aroma of l'eau de fromage to it. Granted, the special effects are impressive, with all sorts of comic book influenced, flaming skull, shape-shifting madness. Yet the simultaneously formulaic but goofy script, action-packed with uninspired dialogue, is oddly paced
and…well…boring. I was bored by this movie, even despite the whole burning skull and motorcycle kitsch appeal. Part of the reason is Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze by day/caution flammable Ghost Rider by night. With a perpetually stoned, glassy look to his eyes and a laconic performance worthy of a Zen Buddhist master, Cage never allowed me to buy into his Johnny Blaze. Perhaps he played it exactly as the comic book fanboys would dictate, but I felt nothing for this part Vegas lounge act, part laid back tortured soul. Eva Mendes is game eye candy, possibly upping her profile in bigger budget movies so she can eventually do some more engaging, real work in smaller ones some day. Overall, however, do your soul a favor and don't deal with this devil, no matter what the box office says.
@ REEL (If you can't sneak in, don't go in)

BREACH (PG-13)
Biases: Good cast and talent attached, based on a true story…
Players: Ryan Phillippe, Chris Cooper, Laura Linney, co-writer/director Billy Ray

Logline: Ambitious, aspiring FBI agent Eric O'Neill (Phillippe) is tasked with shadowing his new boss, Special Agent in Charge of Information Assurance Robert Hanssen (Cooper), an outwardly dour and devout family man who's secretly a "sexual deviant" and the source of "the worst breach in the history of US intelligence." It's young O'Neill's job to catch the wily and wary Hanssen in the act – even though he's managed to evade concrete proof from some of the Bureau's
finest. Good luck, Eric.

The Deal: Absolutely spooky with his dead fisheye stare, Chris Cooper is the surly, unlikable center of the fairly humorless but effective drama "Breach." Convincing on every level as an apolitical, marginalized, Nestea-bitter career intel guy and ex-Soviet analyst, Cooper compels with every frame he burns up, his disdaining look(s) at life worse than any Sunday school teacher on a self-righteous power trip. Billy Ray – he of the outstanding docudrama "Shattered Glass" – judiciously uses music in his slow build of a film that intrigues even though you know before it begins how it's going to end (not an easy feat). I was oddly underwhelmed by Phillippe's performance as the lightly regarded, "confident burdening on cocky" Eric O'Neill. That might have been the point, that this guy was in over his head in this situation and, thusly, causing him and the viewer some anxiety on how in the world he could bring down one of the world's slickest traitors, but I felt that Phillippe was in over his head as an actor. Strange I feel this way considering I'm a mild Phillippe champion in other films. Or maybe Cooper in character and in acting just blows Phillippe off the screen. Couple that with solid Billy Ray direction and co-writing and you have built a good case to go see "Breach."
@@@ REELS (It's pretty hot – go give it a shot)

Like what you read? Agree/disagree with The Reel Deal? Think he's
talkin' out his...HUSH YO' MOUF! (I'm only talkin' about The Reel
Deal!) Email him at ejace1@gmail.com!

Edwardo Jackson is the author of the novels EVER AFTER and NEVA HAFTA,
(Villard/Random House), a writer for BlackNLA.com,
UrbanFilmPremiere.com, AllHipHop.com, and an LA-based screenwriter.
Visit his website at www.edwardojackson.com where his new novel I DO?
is available NOW.




			BlackNLA Movie Reviews ***THE REEL DEAL: Reviewz from the Street* by Edwardo Jackson BIASES: Early 30s black male; frustrated screenwriter who favors action, comedy, and glossy, big budget movies over indie flicks, kiddie flicks, and weepy Merchant Ivory fare WEEKEND REVIEW: 2/19/07 A few capsules for movies out or that came out last weekend… GHOST RIDER (PG-13) Biases: This could be really decent or an out-and-out disaster – there is no in between, above, or below. Players: Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, writer/director Mark Steven Johnson Logline: Having backed into a deal with the Devil/Mephistopheles (Peter Fonda) at an early age, motorcycle stuntman Johnny Blaze (Cage) is literally indestructible. When Mephistopheles comes to collect on his debt by turning Blaze into a skull-blazing, chain-link whip wielding soldier against his son turned rival Blackheart (Wes Bentley), those Johnny loves – namely his childhood sweetheart now all grown up Roxanne (Mendes) – are put in danger. The Deal: Everyone else has been calling this movie cheesy so far be it for me to follow the pack. However, "Ghost Rider" does have a distinct aroma of l'eau de fromage to it. Granted, the special effects are impressive, with all sorts of comic book influenced, flaming skull, shape-shifting madness. Yet the simultaneously formulaic but goofy script, action-packed with uninspired dialogue, is oddly paced and…well…boring. I was bored by this movie, even despite the whole burning skull and motorcycle kitsch appeal. Part of the reason is Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze by day/caution flammable Ghost Rider by night. With a perpetually stoned, glassy look to his eyes and a laconic performance worthy of a Zen Buddhist master, Cage never allowed me to buy into his Johnny Blaze. Perhaps he played it exactly as the comic book fanboys would dictate, but I felt nothing for this part Vegas lounge act, part laid back tortured soul. Eva Mendes is game eye candy, possibly upping her profile in bigger budget movies so she can eventually do some more engaging, real work in smaller ones some day. Overall, however, do your soul a favor and don't deal with this devil, no matter what the box office says. @ REEL (If you can't sneak in, don't go in) BREACH (PG-13) Biases: Good cast and talent attached, based on a true story… Players: Ryan Phillippe, Chris Cooper, Laura Linney, co-writer/director Billy Ray Logline: Ambitious, aspiring FBI agent Eric O'Neill (Phillippe) is tasked with shadowing his new boss, Special Agent in Charge of Information Assurance Robert Hanssen (Cooper), an outwardly dour and devout family man who's secretly a "sexual deviant" and the source of "the worst breach in the history of US intelligence." It's young O'Neill's job to catch the wily and wary Hanssen in the act – even though he's managed to evade concrete proof from some of the Bureau's finest. Good luck, Eric. The Deal: Absolutely spooky with his dead fisheye stare, Chris Cooper is the surly, unlikable center of the fairly humorless but effective drama "Breach." Convincing on every level as an apolitical, marginalized, Nestea-bitter career intel guy and ex-Soviet analyst, Cooper compels with every frame he burns up, his disdaining look(s) at life worse than any Sunday school teacher on a self-righteous power trip. Billy Ray – he of the outstanding docudrama "Shattered Glass" – judiciously uses music in his slow build of a film that intrigues even though you know before it begins how it's going to end (not an easy feat). I was oddly underwhelmed by Phillippe's performance as the lightly regarded, "confident burdening on cocky" Eric O'Neill. That might have been the point, that this guy was in over his head in this situation and, thusly, causing him and the viewer some anxiety on how in the world he could bring down one of the world's slickest traitors, but I felt that Phillippe was in over his head as an actor. Strange I feel this way considering I'm a mild Phillippe champion in other films. Or maybe Cooper in character and in acting just blows Phillippe off the screen. Couple that with solid Billy Ray direction and co-writing and you have built a good case to go see "Breach." @@@ REELS (It's pretty hot – go give it a shot)** Like what you read? Agree/disagree with The Reel Deal? Think he's talkin' out his...HUSH YO' MOUF! (I'm only talkin' about The Reel Deal!) Email him at ejace1@gmail.com! Edwardo Jackson is the author of the novels EVER AFTER and NEVA HAFTA, (Villard/Random House), a writer for BlackNLA.com, UrbanFilmPremiere.com, AllHipHop.com, and an LA-based screenwriter. Visit his website at www.edwardojackson.com where his new novel I DO? is available NOW. © Edwardo Jackson 2007