The Inside Man

Bollywood music to start off with? That woke me up. Still, there is no Bollywood type in the film. There's a Sikh (who gives the best straight line) but he doesn't seem the type interested in Indian pop. Now this is Spike Lee, and he gets better and better as time goes on in waking us out of our racial stereotypes. And molding them as well. I would consider Lee our best commentator on racial problems-- what they are, how they change, what in heck we can do personally. What's unfortunate is that he can't take a film like this-- one with a bank robber heist scenario that I've never seen done before-- and not make one of the best films ever out of it. It's as if it's so ingrained in him to "lesson" us, even if subtly, that he can't build a film that has a complete thread from beginning to end. Take for instance the Jodie Foster character, supposedly a very powerful woman with very powerful friends. It's not that her character isn't needed, in fact it very much is, but he doesn't weave her tale in with the rest of the tales. It doesn't help that she is super-duper annoying in this role. That insipid smiling/laughing act she does fits like a poorly designed glove, although she shows her rare talent when she finally does get serious towards the end. I've been disappointed in her last few roles (yeah, even the surprise cameo in The Very Long Engagement). I wish she'd do something like The Accused again (that oughta take you back). And maybe she should stay off the heels, too. I thought I took the cake as least graceful in anything above an inch.

year: 2006
length: 129 min.
rating: 3.0
IMDB link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0454848/combined

Slither

OK. Nathan Fillion phase now. Not that he's done much, so I don't know how much of a phase this is going to be. Bummer-- while he's not magnetic onscreen like say, Terence Blanchard, he has a unique mix of dramatic and comedic talent that makes him nigh on perfect for many types of film. Like Slither. Oy, that title. I very nearly didn't bother with it based on that tremendously disgusting title. And movie poster. And very lame trailer. I thought-- oh, just a stupid sci-fi horror film along the lines of Tremors or Gremlins. How could that possibly rise above? Well, lemme tell ya. It's a zombie film! And you know how much I love zombie films (28 Days Later..., Shaun of the Dead, Dawn of the Dead). Well, this one's nastier, grosser and fouler. And I mean foul language-- if that kinda stuff bothers you, stop here. But I honestly have never seen foul language used to such effect-- the best lines are the crudest. I'm still giggling over them several days later. It has its sweet moments because of course there's a love interest-- how could the delectable Elizabeth Banks be anything but? I can tell you now that I'll be renting it not because I want to see the film again so soon after seeing it in the theater but because I need to see Fillion in the outtakes. The man is the funniest dramatic actor on the planet right now (Steve Carrell's moving up there though), and those Serenity outtakes are still popped in the DVD player when I need a laugh. He's ranking right up there with "top 10 folks in Hollywood I'd like to have lunch with." The other 9? More later.

year: 2006
length: 95 min.
rating: 3.5
IMDB link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0439815/combined