Are you trying to decide what to see at your local cineplex? To help you through the maze of current movies, here are my suggestions on a handfull of recent movies. Let's begin with The Stepfather, a remake of a 1897 film.
The film opens on a gruesome scene of a man who has just murdered his family. He flees the area and arrives in Portland where he meets a divorced lady and soon moves in with her and her kids. What he's searching for is the perfect family. Along the way he winds up killing a neighbor and this woman's sister.
Yes he is a bit deranged. He soon leaves the area and in the final scene we see him in another town trying to meet another perfect family.
The film is suspenseful at times and it does utilize many horror film cliches So you can look at the film as silly or one that you like because it did scare you. And people do like to be scared at the movies. Why do you think Jaws was such a big hit? My suggestion is to take a pass. It's rated PG-13.
In the true horror genre we come to Saw 6. There are flashbacks to other films in the series so if you haven't seen any of them, you might be confused. I saw all of them and was confused. The film is very bloody so I don't suggest it for a first date or for a happy occasion, like birthday or anniversary.
The focus is on the same character as the other 5 films, Jigsaw. You probably have seen a tv ad. He's the one who looks like a bizarre clown. The rest of the cast are generally unknown. It might be time to retire this theme, but Hollywood can find many more ways I'm sure to dip into your pockets. Actually I think I read somewhere that Saw 7 is in production. The rating is R.
A film that has received generally poor reviews and isn't doing well at the box office is Amelia, the story of aviator Amelia Earhart. To me it was one of the best films I have seen in awhile, but that's me. I kind of like films that aren't about vampires, blood and space aliens. The stars are Hillary Swank as Amelia and Richard Gere as her publisher and husband.
The film spans 10 years and covers many aspects of her personal life. There are neat aerial sequences, pretty landscape shots and good acting. I think history buffs and those with an interest in aviation will enjoy it. We all know how it ends but I don't think that spoils the film. This one I will recommend. It's rated PG.
Finally there's This Is It, the behind the scenes story of Michael Jackson and crew getting ready to open a concert tour in July in London. You'll see backstage footgage, interviews and rehearsal video. This was originally intended as a DVD, but after Michael's death it was decided to turn it into a full length film. So the question was raised, is this an actual tribute or a quick way to make money off of his memory. No attempt at an answer here.
On thing is for sure, the film shows what a terrific talent he was and how much of a professional he was when it came to pleasing his audience. His singing, dancing and ability to command a stage are obvious. You might even come away with a different impression of him. This should be a must for his fans. It's rated PG.
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Eddie Applefeld
Promotions Director
WCBM/WVIE
Baltimore
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