Movie Review: Insomnia (2002)

Insomnia is a 2002 psychological thriller brought to us by Christopher Nolan. The film stars Al Pacino, Hilary Swank, and Robin Williams in the lead, and is the tale of a detective who must play a cat-and-mouse game with a serial killer in order to solve the murder of a young native Alaskan girl. What is most fascinating to me about Insomnia is how diversely simple it is compared to the rest of Nolan's filmography. Unlike the previous Memento (2000) this movie is far more grounded in reality and doesn't have as much artistic or analytical merit as we've come to expect from him. In short, Insomnia is a great cat and mouse, who did it, detective movie and that is precisely what we have. This is an excellently shot film with unbelievably, crystal-clear wide angle takes that I found breathtaking. I love Al Pacino as Detective Will Dormer and Robin Williams as the serial killer is mesmerizing. That's by far one of the most intriguing aspects of his career. Williams was a hilarious actor and gave all to each and every one of his performances, but like One Hour Photo (2002) we get two really disturbing and dark performances from him in the same year. Hilary Swank is also surprisingly deep and really channels a complex character. As we near the end of this movie, Swank's character is faced with some really difficult decisions that even as a viewer I wasn't sure what way to go. The action sequences are also really well-done especially all the chase scenes which were filmed near perfection. While Insomnia is definitely not Nolan's best movie, it does stand out as being a memorable film based on performances and entertainment value. It's not void of analysis, but there is less of it than in his previous and forthcoming works. Overall, Insomnia is a great crime thriller with engrossing performances, stellar cinematography and camera takes, as well as boasting a thought provoking moral dilemma. Three stars= A-

Movie Review: Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)

So after sitting through and watching the first Ace Ventura movie, I was actually hoping that the flaws of the first movie could be improved to make a more enjoyable movie that works as a comedy. All I really wanted in When Nature Calls was laughter and I didn't even really care about the story. Yet this movie does...Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls is a 1995 comedy film starring Jim Carrey who once again plays our titular role. In this film, Ace has to locate a missing white bat within the depths of an African tribes jungle. Comic episodes ensue and this movie, in my mind...was worse than the first one. Surprisingly When Nature Calls is actually far worse of a picture than it's predecessor. This is a bland, disengaging, and offensive film that actually complements the first movie. Actually saying that does feel a little harsh. I mean, this isn't Citizen Kane and it most certainly isn't trying to be. The story in this movie was actually far more interesting than that of the first. From the first scene (which reminds us that the budget has doubled since the last film) the scope and storytelling ability seems to have improved beyond the first one. That said, this movie doesn't make use of any of it's surroundings to tell a story. Instead, Jim Carrey (who really doesn't seem to have morals in this movie) goes around making fun of every single character on screen. Then there comes the tribe itself, which I found to be shockingly offensive. The depiction of the native people is one of the most offensive depictions of African American people that I have ever watched in any film. I'm surprised more people haven't spoken up about this, because it shocked me beyond belief. As stated above, I wasn't ever engaged in this quest to find that bat...probably because the movie is derailed way before we get to that point. Ace Ventura 2 is pretty much Jim Carrey's role walking around an island and making fun of the native tribe, as well as seducing the sexy daughter of the Chief. It might sound like I'm a hater of this film, but actually that's not true. One of the ways this movie did actually IMPROVE over the first installment is with the humor. The comic gags are far funnier than the first film hit. Also, the last scene (last joke) was actually funny and I did laugh. I'll mention again how the budget was exactly doubled from the first installment and from the opening scene we get the sense of a bigger scope of a film. I liked that aspect of When Nature Calls, but from a screenwriting and story-angle, this movie doesn't quite deliver. Overall, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls is somewhat bland, has some really shocking material pertaining to depictions of race, and yet does manage to sneak in a higher level of humor. 1 star= D

Movie Review: Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective is a 1994 comedy film directed by Tom Shadyac. The movie stars Jim Carrey as a detective who consistently searches after missing animals in a comic manner. Courtney Cox is also in this film as a woman who helps Ace uncover the whereabouts of the Miami Dolphins mascot. Throughout the nineties, Jim Carrey made movies during which he always pretty much plays the same character. Even in more "recent" films like Lemony Snicket's and How The Grinch Stole Christmas Carrey channels the same exact acting and character. Ace Ventura is pretty similar in that regard. While this character is slightly unique (as all his roles are) this is still pretty much Jim Carrey dressed in a loose, spy-esque attire who's character never seems to get old. Carrey's performance is one of the few redeeming things about this film. He's funny on his own and that is a huge plus, but nothing in the script is giving him those lines. It all comes down to Carrey's delivery and that was a disappointment. This film's universe is interesting from a stylistic angle. I loved the neo-noir tone and the overall concept. However, this film cannot deliver an interesting story. Perhaps my biggest issue with Ace Ventura: Pet Detective is how un-funny this movie is. I only chuckled once or twice and as I said before, that has more to do with Jim Carrey's acting rather than the screenplay. Just like how I was entertained by parts of this movie and the overall story line. When those elements falter though (and trust me they really do) this is a bland and lifeless movie. The beginning of this film is easily the most entertaining and then as the film goes on there's considerably less to keep your attention. I don't think this film is terrible, though. Carrey's character is really enjoyable to watch, I love the tone and feel of this film, and the soundtrack is also quite well used against this script. Overall, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective offers only minimal laughs, the story is rather bland in what could have been a much more engaging movie, but that doesn't stop it from having a unique tonal feel and offering a few legitimately enjoyable moments. 2 stars= C