Movie Reviews!!

Alright let's get right down to business clearing out the ol' Netflix Queue:

"Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story" - Starring Jamie Foxx and Lynn Whitfield. Not so long before Jamie Foxx won his Oscar for portraying Ray Charles in Ray he honed his acting skills by performing in this true story. The film is about a convicted gang banger who atones for his past actions by becoming an advocate for peace. "Tookie" Williams, co-founder of the notorious Crips, was convicted of murder and sentenced to die in the California judicial system. (Subsequently he was executed in December of 2006) While in prison Williams experienced his own personal redemption and used the experience to promote peace throughout his life on the "inside", but also gang life on the outside. The film follows Williams' life from gang banger-to trial-to prison-to redemption. The story does well not to "villify" (as writer/journalist Barbara Becnel states in the film) Williams but instead tells his story. The project highlights the debate over capital punishment and the U.S. justice system in general. Regardless of your position on the debate the film interjects one man's story into the discussion and demands that you take notice. Jamie Foxx gives a compelling performance and Whitfield's emotion and commitment to the story shine through in her portrayal of Barbara Becnel. The movie is well crafted and the acting is quiet and subdued but full of emotion a job well done. 4/5 remotes

"Marie Antoinette" - Starring Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman, Shirley Henderson, Molly Shannon, and Rip Torn, written and directed by Sofia Coppola. This film as the title suggests follows the life of the famous queen of France. However, this is not your traditional historic epic or historical drama but is instead a unique piece that, although placed within the correct historical era and costuming, has been "modernized" by writer/director Sofia Coppola. Coppola interjects modern day feelings, ideas, and attitudes into Dunst's character. Antoinette is displayed as an annoyed child at times yet has moments of monumental drama as well. Dunst's energetic and childlike portrayal is seemingly what Coppola wanted however, its awkwardness and immaturity misses the mark. Shwartzman's goofiness and irony seem to be the same character he always plays and although it is given well it seems to be unoriginal. The costuming, make up, and set design are intricate, unique and extremely well done and it is quickly realized why it earned the Oscar. However, the subtleness, irony and awkwardness does little to raise the film any higher than the status of "eye candy." 3.5/5

"Melinda and Melinda" - Starring Radha Mitchell, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Chloe Sevigny, Will Ferrell, Amanda Peet, and a cameo apperance by Steve Carell, written and directed by Woody Allen. Alright, I'll admit it I'm a Woody Allen fan. I can't help it, I just am. However, given the subject matter and the premise of the story I expected a better movie. The premise of the story; 4 friends, 2 of which are screen writers one a dramatist one a comedic writer, are sitting at a dinner table when one of the other proposes a story and opens it to discussion. The ultimate question is whether the story is a comedy or a tragedy. The film then follows two different interpretations of the same story line with the only common actress being "Melinda" Radha Mitchell. The performances by the actors are fine but overtly melancholy in both versions. Allen fails to deliver the one liners and ironic comedy that are present in many of his films. The story is not all that exciting and neither are either one of the interpretations of the story. I guess however it does alot to expand upon the prowess of individual perception. However, the question at the end is still is life a comedy or a tragedy, or is it a combination of both? Much like the stament uttered by a narrator to the boy, "The world may never know." 3/5 remotes

Next up: Happy Easter, more movie reviews and why I'm not worried about the Cardinals.