the eagle has landed

run, shia, run

Eagle Eye *** Produced by Spielberg and directed by D.J. Caruso, Eagle Eye is another attempt at re-imagining a classic Hitchcock film using Shia Leboeuf. The first attempt was Disturbia, also directed by Caruso and starring Leboeuf, an inferior stab at Rear Window. Eagle Eye is slightly better than Disturbia, but still falls short when compared to Hitchcock’s original, The Man Who Knew Too Much.

There is something missing in the first few minutes of Eagle Eye that would have made the film slightly more enjoyable from my point of view: notification of some sort that the film was set sometime in the future and was, in fact science fiction. There is large plot twist about halfway through that seemed incredibly out of place in a current day environment.

Discounting this error in judgment by the filmmakers, Eagle Eye is for most of its running time, a better than average thriller. Leboeuf continues to prove himself in one large film after another, handily carrying the film and covering for Michelle Monaghan’s mediocre performance (I never once believed she was a mother). Despite some poorly edited action sequences, and some far-fetched plot lines, this one was worth the matinee price, and will be thoughtless fun on cable in a few years.

i have motorized scooter haha!

Run Fat Boy, Run *** The first film from former Friends’ star David Schwimmer starring Simon Pegg as a loser who finds some semblence of responsibility when he decides to run a marathon.

The film is funny in spots, and Pegg is perfect as the central character, but based on positive critical response, I was expecting more from this one. It’s very by-the-numbers, and the heartfelt ending, though effective, can be seen from a mile away. Worth a rent.

i'm invisible i tell ya!

Fur **** Nicole Kidman as famed photographer Diane Arbus in this “surreal” biopic that infuses fact with fantasy. Robert Downey Jr. gives an effective turn as her neighbor with peculiarities (the main one being that he is covered with excessive hair from head to toe).

The film is a love story, but not in the traditional sense. Downey’s character is a walking metaphor for Diane’s growing desire to create art and ultimately separate from her family.  Not for the average moviegoer, Fur is an involving portrait of the birth of an artist.

is that you dear?

Wait Until Dark ****1/2 Audrey Hepburn was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance as a blind woman who is forced to deal with two theatrical crooks, and one sadistic killer (played to the hilt by a young Alan Arkin). This film has aged well and the suspense is surprisingly effective.