Reel Reviews -- F

Fahrenheit 9/11 -- Propoganda? Sure. Unfair? Dependng upon your definition, probably. An important movie? Without a doubt. You can take a few of Moore's points and run with them, as the right wing has done, but overall the movie comes across as logical, well-researched, and sincere. The overall structure of Moore's argument--that Shrub & Co. do what's best for them, not the country--withstands any attempt to tear it down. Every registered voter should see this, for something to think about if not to be truly convinced. Posted 7/10/04.

Fairy Tale -- A beautiful little movie about a couple of English kids who claim to be on speaking terms with fairies during the Great War years. A sweet tale, good for the whole family. And Harvey Keitel, playing Harry Houdini (!), goes effectively against type. A must see, "Best Of All" inductee.

Fallen -- Always tough to go wrong when Denzel Washington is in the house. Good, creepy tale--a serial killer is really a demon's possessee--though the ending is a little bit obvious.

Fast Food Nation -- I agree with this movie's principles, but I think there are some big mistakes here. Throughout the running time, I kept feeling that a fictionalized treatment of the muckracking bestseller was the wrong approach; a documentary would have worked a lot better (though telling that much truth probably would have led to substantial lawsuits). Plus, the storyline here takes the problems with the fast food industry and externalizes them too much; most people watching this film aren't interested in what happens to poor Mexicans--their question is, "How does this affect me?" Again, I applaud the politics, but I think the heart of this matter, as shown here, will be too distant for most viewers. Posted 2/8/11.

Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas -- Tough to screw up one of the best books of the latter half of the twentieth century, but they did it. Everything is just a little bit off here; Hunter S. Thompson's weird behavior--which comes off as hip counterculturalism in the book--just looks like pointless stupidity here. A disappointment.

15 Minutes -- Hard to know what to say about this movie. It's not bad, but it never really catches that spark (ironic, given the prominence of Edward Burns's arson inspector character). The story's satirical slant seems obvious, and perhaps even a little out of touch. (Why are the media-obsessed villains foreigners? Given the targets of the cultural critique, you'd more likely get home-growns playing such a debased game.) One positive note: in the "credit where it's due" department, big props to Director of Photography Jean Yves Escoffier--this is a beautifully shot film. Posted 12/21/03.

50/50 -- You expect a story about a young guy dealing with cancer to give you schmaltz, and there's a dose of that here. But there's also a lot of sharp humor, believable characters--including great interplay between Seth Rogen and the ubiquitous Joseph Gordon-Levitt--and truth in storytelling, all of which come together to form a deeply satisfying viewing experience. Posted 12/31/12.

Fight Club -- It's tough to trust this movie at first, but it sure does reel you in by the time the fists start flying. Excellent story (with a twist), excellent performances, and a great ending. A "Best Of All" inductee.

The Fighter -- A revelation, gleaned from this movie: it actually helps not to be a fan of the real-life sport being depicted in a movie; that way, you don't already know the outcomes, thus heightening the drama. That's how this film played for me; I never knew if Micky Ward was going to win his big bout or not. Credit too must go to director David O. Russell for his canny decision to make the filmed fights look visually like the original HBO broadcasts, heightening still further the verisimilitude of the proceedings. Those facts, combined with terrific performances by Wahlberg, Bale and the rest of the cast, make for a deeply satisfying, deeply engaging film. Posted 9/30/11.

Final -- It's not that I don't believe Denis Leary as a traumatized man trying to cope with his mental problems. But the story here stays too shallow to make the struggle engaging. A film like this--a set piece with very little in the way of story progression--must be chock full of insight/wit/energy to keep the viewer tuned in. The pace here is too slow, and when the WTF moment comes, it's too unbelievable and its impact too muted to make a difference. Not worth it. Posted 1/20/06.

Finding Nemo -- Hate to say it, but this isn't as good as you think it is. The film is technically brilliant, of course; Pixar has that template down pat now. And the vocal performances are well done. But there are a lot of elements here which seem stale and recycled (the goofy sidekick, the motley collection of friends, even the Disney staple of the dead parent). If you've been paying attention, you have to feel like you're being suckered. If you're as uncritical as a child, then sure, go ahead. But adults might have a harder time... Posted 11/30/03.

Finding Neverland -- No, not a "Best Picture" movie. That doesn't mean it's bad. Quite the contrary; I found this to be an effecting movie--well-made, well-acted, and worth the price of admission. Of course, I have a particular interest, being an enormous fan of Barrie's "Peter Pan" (in its book form, at least), so the story held special significance for me. However, there are a few "not quite" elements here--some clunky exposition of Barrie's symbolism, trite interactions between characters--that pull the quality down just enough to keep me from raving. It's not "top of the mountain" great, but it's certainly good enough. Posted 2/12/05.

Five Easy Pieces -- Strange, stilted and seemingly pointless. Nicholson's character comes off as nothing more than a spoiled jerk. I sat through the whole thing, but just barely.

Flags Of Our Fathers -- An unusual mix of reverence and iconoclasm, featuring powerful direction and meticulous reproduction of period details, plus an outstanding performance by Adam Beach as a tormented, not-quite hero. One can see where this film isn't quite everyone's cup of tea; at such a distance in time and temperament, the movie's theme and theory might not generate a response in some. But thoughtful viewers will find a rewarding experience in this work. Posted 11/1/08.

Flight -- This time, maybe it isn’t Denzel Washington’s performance that seals the deal. Oh, sure, Washington is his usual amazing self; his performance certainly does lay the groundwork for this film’s payoff in the long run. But maybe some credit should be given to the storytellers as well. What cannot be denied is the fact that this film pulls off something of a miracle rescue of its own, telling the story of a character who tightropes the line between sympathy and damnation so precariously that it’s a wonder that the viewer can still be brought through to compassion and understanding when the moment of redemption arrives. It’s a remarkable achievement, all the more so because director Zemeckis, as usual, mixes his generally skillful storytelling with his all too typical ham-handed use of music to set mood and create emotional signposts for the audience. But let’s not quibble; this is ultimately an effective and affecting movie that should not be missed by anyone. Posted 10/20/13.

Flightplan -- Welcome to the not-so-friendly skies. The story is run of the mill thriller foderol, and it takes a while to lift itself above its cloudy beginning, but this film has a major asset in Jodie Foster, who still has her top notch acting chops and remains believable through all the hubbub. Don't expect brilliance--you just get an enjoyable ride. Posted 3/5/07.

The Fog Of War -- Foggy, indeed. There's plenty to digest in this documentary interview with '60s Defense Sec. Robert McNamara. The "lessons" of his life are worth hearing, as far as they go, but they can be hard to assimilate, particularly given the distracting presence of the man himself. The most chilling aspect of McNamara's presence: the physical resemblance, particularly in the archive footage, between him and the current Secretary of Defense--an odd omen that history may be repeating, regardless of past knowledge. Posted 7/18/05.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall -- A movie chock full of smiles and giggles. Is that enough? I think so; I can't imagine how you'd expect more from a movie like this. But even when this film seems weak, it keeps plugging away with smile and giggle moments, and eventually it hits enough marks to win the fight. Call it a TKO, if not an actual knockout, but that's enough to get the win. Posted 2/23/11.

Four Weddings And A Funeral -- The film that launched a thousand sheepish grins, a.k.a. star Hugh Grant's career. Not always a good thing, but it works to perfection here.

Frankenweenie -- I hate to be the one to have to say this, but this movie lacked a certain spark. The film had some nice touches--the Japanese kid and Gamera reference, for instance--but with a filmmaker as accomplished as Tim Burton involved, nice touches are the least you can expect. One interesting element was the undercurrent about the failure of U.S. society to appreciate and develop science and scientists, but it was little more than a couple of throwaway comments. I guess kids will enjoy it, but even then, I’m not so sure (they might not get why this film is in black and white, for instance; old references are lost on the young). Otherwise, it probably depends on how much you dig Burton and his oeuvre. Your call. Posted 8/21/13.

The French Connection -- The don't make Best Picture winners the way they used to. Maybe that's a good thing. This film really shows its age, beyond the facts of Gene Hackman's now advanced age and Roy Scheider's untimely death. And some of characters' actions, which probably seemed like tough, gritty police work back in the day, come across as ludicrous today. Still, this one does offer up some stylish touches--flourishes of contemporary, down-and-dirty realness, that famous chase scene, and interesting ambiguity all the way to the end. Not bad, but not an all time classic, either. Posted 3/11/11.

Frequency -- The premise requires a lot of "go along" goodwill from the audience--modern day cop talks to his long-dead father via ham radio, thanks to ionic storms--but get past that and the story really works. Exciting and touching at the same time.

Friday Night Lights -- There's a motto that always attaches to small town obsessions: "it's all they have." Indeed, but no one ever seems to raise the corollary observation: maybe it's all they are capable of having; maybe it's all they deserve. That idea, though unexpressed, permeates this study of a Texas town's high school football team. The evidence lies throughout and is a part of this film's signature veracity. So too with the game footage, which is mostly spot on and extremely well done. But there are also way too many sports film cliches--plot revealed via announcers, the crazy sports parent, unbelievable on-field exploits--that tarnish the overall presentation. Yet again, the film still hits some strong emotional marks, given that, after all, these are just kids. A tough call; your taste for sports movies may be the deciding factor. Posted 11/18/06.

From Hell -- The Hughes Brothers win points for ambiguity; the ending is neither happy, nor sad--it just is. Of course, movies about Jack the Ripper have a built in unhappy factor. This one touches on the most prominent suspects--the Duke of Clarence, Dr. Gull--and represents the period fairly well. On the other hand, Johnny Depp and Heather Graham are unconvincing as Victorian Londoners. Tread with caution: there's some serious gore here. Posted 4/30/03.

Frozen -- Cute, charming, and enjoyable. That’s pretty much the extent of it--not a bad movie by any means, but certainly not the manna from heaven that everyone (seemingly) was declaring it to be when it hit the theaters. It does get points for being mildly provocative in its denouement, and the songs are catchy enough (though they oddly disappear about two-thirds of the way through); but there are obvious shortcomings. Take the look of the thing: the landscapes and “effects” parts of the rendering look fine, but the characters seem to be almost lacking in detail. So it’s good, just not that good. Posted 10/4/14.

Fruitvale Station -- I suspect philosophers could have a field day with this story, and spend any number of years and reams of the written word debating its significance. Did karma take Oscar Grant’s life, or was just a miserable accident? This film seems to invite the viewer to make that judgment for him or her self. What is undeniable is the fact that the filmmakers here have done a good job of making the tragedy of this story palpable; it’s impossible to get to the end of this movie without recognizing how devastating was the impact of that horrible incident. The best hope, perhaps: that Grant’s sacrifice will serve as an example, a reminder, and a warning--one that, in similar situations down the line, might save the lives of others. This movie may be a first step towards making that possibility real. Posted 5/23/14.