KEA Productions: DVD Movie Reviews

from the archives of NuReel.com, The Berkeley Daily Planet, and Alameda Sun- written by Kamala Appel
ratings: Plus (highest)-Neutral (okay)-Negatives (pass & omitted from archive)
P:  A Reasonable Man, Rock Star, The Rookie, Royal Tenenbaums, Rush Hour 2

A Reasonable Man (PLUS)

"A Reasonable Man" is a film that should be watched by all lawyers, judges, and potential jury members; in other words, anyone whose life has or may be touched by the judicial system. This film explores one of the most fundamental legal principles of many Westernized civilizations: the meaning of and application of a "reasonable" man's judgment and actions in relation to the action of a defendant. And although I would declare this film to be one of the finest courtroom dramas, my praise would be not only for its examination of the law, but more so for creating a story that delves into the purpose of having laws.

I commend Galvin Hood for pulling off what very few filmmakers can do: he succeeds in writing, directing, and starring as the lead in a film that will make a worldwide audience think and feel. "A Reasonable Man" teaches without preaching. I have seen a lot of films that attempt to educate an audience, but far too many take a holier-than-thou approach that comes across as condescending and pedantic to an audience. Hood employs film to present an extremely persuasive argument that will make people rethink what they think and why they think some of their most basic beliefs. The emotional, multifaceted presentation of an argument from multiple points of view, reminded me of the writing style Harriet Beacher Stowe applied to persuade slave owners to see the light of abolition.

So, how does Hood succeed where others do not. First, he and the rest of the cast, that includes Nigel Hawthorne, Janine Eser, Vusi Kunene, Ken Gampu, Loyiso Gxwala, and Nandi Nyembe; all give performances that are sympathetic and realistic. Second, he gradually reveals the full story so that the audience receives information at the same rate as many of the characters; this technique heightens both the suspense and the level of empathy felt for the characters. Third, he writes a story that explores universal topics such as religion, family, justice, and conflict; so that any audience member would be able to understand the primary storyline on an emotional level. Yet, his exploration is from a number of contrasting perspectives, masking whatever biases he may hold as an individual. As a result, Hood's prejudices are not inflicted upon the audience; instead the audience members must think for themselves.

I enjoyed "A Reasonable Man" for its primary storyline that was suspenseful and dramatic. "A Reasonable Man" follows the struggle of a young attorney who fights to save a young boy from a Murder One conviction. The attorney's fervor exists partly to protect the young boy and partly to save himself from his own guilty conscience. The boy, Sipho, is a herd boy from Zulu land who has killed a one-year-old child from his tribe. The boy claims that although he is guilty on an earthly level since he did kill the child, he is innocent in the eyes of his God. The story does stand on its own for anyone interested in the application of the law and the current political atmosphere that exist in South Africa.

I greatly appreciated the film and the filmmaker for the underlying message that I hope will make audiences think throughout the world. "A Reasonable Man" explores the meaning of beliefs, belief systems, and believers. The philosophical underpinnings heighten the impact of the story by drawing the audience further into the narrative.

"A Reasonable Man" will probably have a platform style release pattern. I recently saw the film at the Mill Valley Film Festival, and I have spoken to people who saw the movie abroad last year. I hope that it gets the recognition it deserves from other critics and audiences because I truly believe that "A Reasonable Man" is a film that should be viewed worldwide for generations to come.


ROCK STAR (PLUS/NEUTRAL)

Are you ready for this? ROCK STAR will surpass your expectations, at least it was better than I thought it would be. The teasers do not do justice to the humor and depth that ROCK STAR has to offer. ROCK STAR presents another example of a film that a somewhat critical look at materialism and the fast lane life style; a real change of themes in Hollywood (PRINCESS DIARIES also presents an argument that there is more to life than wealth, although I guess that is easy for a princess to say...).

Mark Wahlberg stars as a wannabe who becomes the Man, over night. Jennifer Aniston stars as a his manager/ high school girlfriend. Together they find out that you better know what you want before you pray too hard for your dreams to come true, because a fantasy can easily become a nightmare. Initially I had some reservations about the casting since Mark Wahlberg is well-known as a pop hip hop performer, and I thought Jennifer Aniston would be a little too mature to play a girlfriend/groupie. However, to my surprise, they both brought their characters to life with compassion, sophistication, and a sense of humor.

ROCK STAR is so effective because the filmmakers do not take the characters nor the subject matter too seriously. The 1980s flashback and campy humor will make Gen Xers roar with laughter. The fact that most of the humor derives from ridicule of heavy metal rock bands, head-bangers, die hard devotes, and the glamorous life, does not matter, the bottom line is that the movie is fun to watch.

ROCK STAR opens wide on September 7th. I would recommend this film to anyone who can see the humor in the heavy metal craze that characterized one aspect of the 1980s. This film would be equally enjoyable on video. ROCK STAR contains some nudity and drug usage so it would probably not be appropriate for children under the age of sixteen; in any case I do not think that people under the age of twenty-five will appreciate the humor.
*Tip: Make sure you stay for the end credits with some outtakes and behind the scenes shots.


ROYAL TENENBAUMS (NEUTRAL/PLUS)

The Wilson brothers certainly have matured since BOTTLEROCKET both in terms of character development, pace, and tone. ORDINARY PEOPLE, HAROLD & MAUDE, and THE HOTEL NEW HAMPSHIRE become one unhappy family in ROYAL TENENBAUMS. The story revolves around the pain that exists in a dysfunctional family, as in ORDINARY PEOPLE. The dry, cynical humor sets the tone in this film as it did in HAROLD & MAUDE. The quirkiness that permeates the book and film for THE HOTEL NEW HAMPSHIRE also defines ROYAL TENENBAUMS. This is not to say that ROYAL TENENBAUMS is Oscar worthy or will have a cult following like ORDINARY PEOPLE or HAROLD & MAUDE; because this film does not reach either level. However, ROYAL TENENBAUMS is a black comedy that will make people smile through the on-screen pain. The pain that exists in humor becomes apparent within the first five minutes of the film, as in many projects featuring Woody Allen and Albert Brooks. Jokes become a cry for acceptance from the other characters and reveal the individual character's need for self-acceptance.

This film has a long feel to it, not because it drags, but because so much happens in two and a half hours. Not a lot happens in terms of action and the film is certainly not fast-paced, as one might expect from a film that is primarily a comedy, however, the characters develop tremendously. The story takes off when the father played by Gene Hackman shares with his family that he only has six weeks left to live. He communicates the desire to make amends for all that he has done to alienate them from him. The bulk of the film revolves around the various character's reactions to the father, a.k.a Royal's, news.

The cast members make their characters' development believable. The all-stars in ROYAL TENENBAUMS include Gene Hackman, Angelica Houston, Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow, Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, and supporting roles for Bill Murray and Danny Glover. Hackman and Houston steel the show as the parents who attempt to hide their own shortcomings and disfunctionality that exists within the family and on an individual basis. Stiller plays the high strung, type A personality that has defined his career. Paltrow deviates from her normal character roles by playing a depressed, self-conscious, sexual deviant, who feels alienated from the other characters.

ROYAL TENENBAUMS will hit theaters December 21st, in time for Oscar consideration. Although I do not think this film is Oscar worthy, I do think that audiences will find the film entertaining. This film would be equally enjoyable on video.


RUSH HOUR 2 (PLUS/NEUTRAL)

What should one expect when purchasing a ticket for RUSH HOUR 2? Imagine an ethnic Abbott & Costello with a touch of moo-shoo MISERY and a hearty helping of comic martial arts, and you would have a good picture of what is in store for you when you view RUSH HOUR 2. RUSH HOUR 2 may be the first genuine hit of the summer because it may be the first film to meet its target audience's expectation. This is not to say that RUSH HOUR 2 is one of the best films to come out this year, because it is not a filmic work of art, but RUSH HOUR 2 is funny and quite entertaining.

Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker team up again as a bumbling but dynamic duo. Chan and Tucker generate tremendous comic chemistry and do an excellent job of playing off of one another. Tucker returns to play the Black buffoon and Chan plays the karate-chopping China man. Although the film contains A LOT of negative racial stereotyping, which I must admit makes me cringe on one level, the film derides everyone equally in a tongue-in-cheek manner that will make just about anyone laugh at least once in the course of ninety minutes. Even though I found a lot of the jokes quite humorous, it disturbs me that the film resorted to ethnic stereotypes to pack the house (and unfortunately, that aspect along with the action will account for the "asses in seats", so to speak).

In this sequel, he two get the chance to strut their stuff and get stomped on in two territories: China and Los Angeles. Chan's character, Detective Lee, lures Tucker's character, Detective Carter, to China with promises of a fun-filled vacation. To Tucker's disappointment, Lee's promises of Chinese booty call were actually a ploy to get his assistance in a major international case. While Tucker makes plans to chase some tail, Lee ends up getting their tails chased by international smugglers; together they end up getting their tails kicked and kicking some tail.

I suspect that RUSH HOUR 2 will kick some butt at the box office because of the impressive fight sequences that are even more impressive because they do not contain a lot of special effects and very few stunt doubles. (Most people know that Jackie Chan's claim to fame is the fact that he does his own stunts. In this film Ziyi Zhang did a lot of her own stunts too, but not all, and none of them were as impressive as Chan's). Chan's cinematic magic is his ability to be comedic while performing tremendous physical acts.

Ziyi Zhang (CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON and ROAD HOME) plays the femme fatale/ lead ass-kicker. She does a fine job of making the audience hate her as the temperamental villain; however, I am unsure if her acting style or her character annoyed me more (maybe she has played one too many hotheaded brats for my taste). There are also a few cameo appearances by Jeremy Piven (FAMILY MAN, VERY BAD THINGS, THE CREW and ABC's CUPID) and Don Cheadle (TRAFFIC, BOOGIE NIGHTS, MISSION TO MARS, and ROSEWOOD). For the most part, the comedic timing and over-the-top humor outweighed the call for dramatic ability. Besides the relationship the two may have with the filmmakers, the opportunity to participatein a comedy may have also attracted the actors to play such small parts.

RUSH HOUR 2 opens wide on August 3rd. I would recommend this film highly to those who liked the first in the possible trilogy, RUSH HOUR. The stunts are beyond compare, and the film hosts a lot of funny situations and lines. The film is worth seeing on the big screen for the full effect and to truly appreciate the physical aspect of the work. If you do not like silly humor, then you may want to pass.

*Tip: remember to stay through the credits so you can view the out takes, which are actually better than the film itself in terms of humor. (Those who like gefilte fish or hate ringing cell phones will find the bloopers hilarious.)

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