The Silence of the Lambs** (1991)

Hard to believe, but before now I had never seen this film. I had heard a lot about it for the longest time, but had never actually seen it. Perhaps this build-up of hype is the reason that I feel mildly disappointed.

Don’t get me wrong, this was a very good film. Just not great. The story is intriguing and suspenseful (and kind of frightening that it’s based off real events) and Anthony Hopkins is delightfully evil as Hannibal Lecter. But, I just don’t dig Jodie Foster. It’s something in her voice- kind of a mush-mouthy, speak-through-the-teeth sound that accentuates the r’s and th’s too much. They’re called jaw muscles sweetheart. Use them.

Also, she wasn’t convincing enough as a hero character to get the bump into my 4-star range. Perhaps a subdued hero is better for an overly evil villain, but I wish there was more even footing in that regard. Perhaps that’s why Lecter was used to help her solve the case. Whatever it was, she just didn’t do it for me, but not at the expense of the movie as a whole.

Taut, gripping drama that relishes in maniacal undertones, Silence of the Lambs will always be remembered as a classic thriller.

RATING: 3.75 out of 5

Duck Soup (1933)

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

Forget Cedric the Entertainer and Bernie Mac, the Marx Brothers are the original kings of comedy. Made during the Great Depression, this film is surprisingly bold in its shameless satire of the political process. A bumbling dunderhead is named as the new Prime Minister of Freedonia and the neighboring nation of Sylvania wants to take it over. The Sylvanians try very hard to anger the new Prime Minister, but he shrugs it all off like a joke. Eventually a war is declared, but no one knows who is on which side and hilarity ensues.

This film is a breezy 69 minutes long and charges ahead with a ceaseless barrage of one-liners and sight gags. Duck Soup is a prime example of slapstick comedy done right and should be enjoyed by anyone with a sense of humor. If you’re politically cynical, you’ll get some extra hardy laughs to boot.

RATING: 3.75 out of 5

The Da Vinci Code (2006)

Our culture has been becoming lazier for quite a while now and it is evident in the fact that people would rather sit and watch a movie based on a book rather than read the book itself. With movies, people don’t have to process as much information, or spend as much time getting through the story as they would with the book. As a result, they miss out on all the tiny intricacies that make reading books far superior than watching their movie counterparts. Case in point- The Da Vinci Code.

The most talked about book since Harry Potter, The Da Vinci Code is very well written, expertly paced and has lots of neat little tidbits that were simply intriguing to millions (whether they were true or not). The problem with turning such a book into a movie was that the film could either be lacking in the little things that pressed the mind onward, or it could be overfull of them and drag the movie down. The former turns out to be the case.

Without much of the non-verbal elements in the book, character histories are reduced, and the reasons for their actions are left vague because we don’t know what’s motivating them as much as we would had we read the book. It also doesn’t help that they completely changed the ending! Well, not completely, but it’s leaps and bounds different from the book.

And for all the hoopla that the book and ensuing movie caused amongst hard line religious folk, the movie certainly isn’t going to change anyone’s minds about their faith. At least no thinking people will.

Basically, this movie ultimately served two core audiences- those who are too lazy to read the book, and those who want to get up in arms over the story’s content. Evidently, it’s more socially acceptable to go overboard protesting a movie than it is a book. Anyway, for those who read the book, it’s a fairly decent rendition of a very good story, though it won’t be heralded as superior to its source. While a largely forgettable affair, The Da Vinci Code is still pretty good popcorn entertainment but by no means necessary given the quality of the book.

RATING: 3.25 out of 5

Some Like It Hot (1959)

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

Two down-on-their-luck jazz musicians (Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon) accidentally witness the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre in an auto garage. The gangsters, wanting no witnesses are hot on their tails. The resourceful musicians find refuge with an all-girl traveling band. The only catch is that they have to cross-dress in order to fit in.

While the movie offers some genuinely funny moments, it felt rather dated to me. While it's hard to believe that this film was, at one time, considered edgy, in the 50s cross-dressing was shocking and Some Like It Hot was one of the few films to feature men dressing as women. Being a comedy probably helped it seem acceptable, but growing up in the 90s with movies like Mrs. Doubtfire, cross-dressing for comedy wasn't big deal for me. The shock value is lost on me and much of the humor that may have originated with this film now seems recycled.

Curtis and Lemmon both end up falling for a girl in the traveling band (Marilyn Monroe) and they end up in all sorts of humorous situations that were more or less lost on me. I was able to acknowledge the fact that this movie was sort of groundbreaking, but I disagree with the American Film Institute, which named Some Like It Hot as the funniest movie ever made. But maybe that’s because I’m not in the geriatric ward of a hospital.

RATING: 3.25 out of 5

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

This is a truly astounding piece of science fiction. Right off the bat we’re treated to bizarre occurrences and discoveries (a huge ocean liner in the middle of the desert?). Things keep getting weirder as the main character, played by Richard Dreyfuss, becomes obsessed with making pictures and sculptures of a shape he’s never seen before. Bright lights appear in the sky and people go missing inexplicably. It’s all driving a small group of people to Devil’s Tower in Wyoming, where man’s first contact with extra-terrestrials will be made.

Astounding visual effects combine with brilliant acting and John Williams’ composition to make this film a dazzling adventure filled with a sense of wonder. While some effects may look dated and hokey now, they are for the most part really impressive, giving Close Encounters of the Third Kind a permanent seat at the table of science fiction films. I think most people can enjoy this film, but if you are particularly fond of science fiction, you have to see this movie.

RATING: 4 out of 5