Reel Reviews -- W

Waiting For Guffman (~) -- Given the talents involved--Spinal Tap veteran Christopher Guest is the auteur here--this should have been better. Still, it has its moments.

Waiting for "Superman"  -- I've seen better docs, but maybe none as important, certainly in terms of subject matter. This one makes a pretty good case regarding what can and should be done for our nation's schools, and the kids who attend them. The arguments are convincing, though they could use a little more depth. And the results of all the madness, when personalized on the screen for the viewer, can be downright heartbreaking. So brace yourself, take a look, and use it as a springboard for your thoughts on a most crucial subject. Posted 9/26/11.

Waking Life  -- This flick would probably have gotten a plus simply for showing that animation can be used for something other than standard Disney bullshit. Watching this movie is a bit like attending a Spike & Mike festival, with less ass and shit jokes. But don't be fooled--this movie has some serious stuff on its mind, and it deserves credit for showing that at least a few people out there are thinking about the nature of our world. Some of the philosophical discussions may fly over your head (particularly if you have not done any background reading), but you'll absorb at least some of it. Posted 11/28/02.

A Walk In The Clouds   -- It's hard not to like this film. Here's what you get: a visually sumptuous movie, with a gentle, lilting story that stays true all the way through and pulls at your heart without resorting to cheap, manipulative tricks. You know right from the start how it's going to end, and you're still glad to get there. All in all, a movie that delivers on all of its promises. Posted 3/21/05.

Walk The Line   -- The credits say the costars are Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon; the real costars are Johnny Cash and his demons. That pair made for a compelling story, and combined with some excellent work from the actors, splendid musical performances, and a well-crafted presentation, the whole bundle makes for an exceptional and entertaining (if lengthy) movie. Posted 3/28/07.

A Walk To Remember (~) -- Mandy Moore: grrrrr. This movie: meh. Actually, I'm probably not being fair with that so-so squiggle; for the most part, this flick is well-made and the story is ultimately effective. However, points have to come off for a touch of predictability, and they could have been less insistent on trying to sell the soundtrack album (the tunes are really intrusive). As for the previously leered at Miss Moore: no, this isn't just another Titney thing--the girl really can act. Posted 3/11/03.

War Horse   -- The visuals dazzle, the music swells, the story touches the heart...so what's the problem here? I'm not sure there is one, but it's impossible to watch this film without knowing that you're staring at very conscious Oscar bait. That fact hints at a cynicism floating just below the surface, a vibe that will always make the alert viewer feel like he's being used. But most folks don't watch movies in that way; a picture should be judged on its merits for the general audience who will view it--and there's no denying that this is a well-crafted movie. To be sure, the story is obvious--nothing really comes as a surprise here--though it is unusually dark. In fact, this is very much a movie about grief and sorrow, which makes it tough to watch at times. But as an example of the craft, as an emotional journey, as a statement of disgust against war and all its miseries, this film accomplishes its goals. That earns it enough respect for a positive vote here. Posted 6/6/13.

War Of The Worlds (2006)   -- I knock Spielberg around sometimes, but I can't deny credit where it's due: the strength of this movie, the action set pieces, are phenomenal works of direction. The chaos of the alien attacks is realized to an astounding degree, creating scenes that are emotionally gripping and downright scary. It helps that the alien tripods (a bit of throwback fidelity to Wells's original story) are genuinely alien and creepy. So visually, the film is most impressive. On the down side, the character relationships are just about unbelievable (no kids, no matter how alienated from their father, would be that snotty when all that shit was going down), and there's at least one major story discontinuity. But this one really isn't a thinking movie; it's there to be seen, and you get what you want in that regard. Posted 4/20/07.

Wedding Crashers   -- Just sit back, throw up your hands, and let go. Take that attitude and you'll be all right. There's no aim for any "statement" here--they're just going for the cheap laughs. Which is OK--we can't all be Ibsen. So judged by its own standard, this film largely succeeds. There's a bit of unwelcome sappiness at the end, but there are more than enough laugh out loud moments sprinkled throughout to make up for that. Posted 3/28/07.

The Weight of Water (--) -- It starts out boring. And then it stays boring. A complete waste of Sean Penn's time and talent--not to mention us viewers. Posted 10/25/04.

Who Killed The Electric Car?   -- A fast-paced, gratifyingly straightforward documentary that doesn't fall into the trap of being too cutesy, too into itself, too convinced of its cleverness--a frequent failing of the genre lately. No, this one just gives you an effective--often devastating--presentation of its case: everyone's a little guilty here. It can be depressing to consider this story, but the film ends on an upbeat, positive note that tempers the despair and offers some direction for the future. A great effort, well worth seeing for the informed citizen. Posted 4/23/08.

Wild Things (~) -- If you like 'em smutty, you're in the right neighborhood. Actually, it's not that racy, but I suppose it's not exactly Disney Channel fare, either. The serpentine plot is a bit of a put off; eventually, you start paying less attention to the movie and more to thinking about how clever the writer thinks he is.

Wilde   -- Tough to make an uninteresting movie when Oscar Wilde is your subject; just the dialogue alone should carry you through. Such is the case here. It's a bit poignant despite all the wit, though, given Wilde's misfortune in being gay in a not very tolerant time.

Win Win   -- I don't know. We've seen a lot of this before. A small, indie film with a focus on the up and down trials (in one form or another) of a suburban family, with generous dashes of quirky humor thrown in. This template has almost been done to death by now. And no one would blame the choosy viewer if he skipped this one. But this is not a bad film; it's enjoyable to watch, with some very likable actors in the primary roles. I give it a tenuous approval, though I won't insist on anyone going out of his way to watch. Posted 3/3/13.

Winged Migration (~) -- Kind of a big disappointment. The visuals of migrating birds in this documentary are nice and obviously took some doing, but they're not so knockout as to be jaw-dropping. The movie's sparse narration is so matter of fact that one wonders if there really is a point to it, beyond a simple "wonders of nature" rap. And the New Age-y score does little to enhance the viewing experience; they would have been much better off with a classical or even a jazz score. Posted 3/22/04.

Wings Of Desire (~) -- A movie that has, much like the Germany from which it came, positives and problems. This film is very artsy, and much more abstract than its Hollywood version, City of Angels. There's too much philosophical stream of consciousness--very few heads are that far up in the clouds--and traditional story development takes a back seat to the demands of director Wim Wenders's unique presentation. But there are also many shining moments where the viewer can truly connect with that abstract foundation, scenes that provide a spark that enters your mind and illuminates. And Peter Falk's scenes bring the proceedings down to earth in a most welcome way. A tough call--better if you know German (though the language demands are not too daunting). Probably best for the adventurous viewer. Posted 9/6/06.

Wings Of The Dove (--) -- One of those stuffy British dramas; unfortunately, in this case, not a particularly engaging one. I can hardly remember it. I think Venice played some part in the story, but other than some nice visuals, not a lot to recommend here.

The Winslow Boy   -- Surprisingly entertaining story about a now obscure case of a young boy's trouble in WWI England, and his family's quest for justice. An interesting look at, among other things, an early example of a mass media-driven public sensation.

Wisegirls   -- You're waiting for me to tell you how awful Mariah Carey is in this movie. Sorry, but she's not. In fact, she's quite good in this role, strongly playing off lead Mira Sorvino. Beyond that, you've got an engrossing tale of mob restaurant waitresses, and what they do when the shit goes down. Worth a look. Posted 3/1/05.

The Wolf of Wall Street (~) -- Pretty standard issue Scorsese. Very high energy, actors chewing the scenery, everything very Noo Yawk...It’s an entertaining template, for the most part, but not nearly as great as his apologists like to believe. Case in point: at around three hours this film is way too long. How many orgy/drug fiend scenes do we need to see to get the idea that your guys are debauched? We get it; in fact, we got it the first five times. There’s so much nudity here that the viewer wonders if there’s actually a comment intended in it, some sort of meta-criticism of movies...but maybe Scorsese just wants to show us a lot of tits and bush. It’s hard to say. And ultimately, what’s the message? “Chickens come home to roost”? Not sure about that, not based on the ending. I leave you to sort out the muddle on your own. Posted 8/20/14.

The Wolverine   -- Another X-Men movie? Yes, and (surprise!) it’s a good one. There are lessons to be learned here: the cast, except for Jackman, is all unknowns (at least to an American movie viewer), the setting in Japan comes across as intriguing (instead of yet another well-worn string of action sequences in the all-too-familiar settings of this land), and a set of as yet unknown writers and filmmakers got a shot at telling their own story (one that still dovetails well with the already established canon). In other words, make it different and original, and even a series movie can seem fresh and exciting. Like this one. Give it a look. Posted 3/9/13.

Wonder Boys   -- Solid, and surprisingly funny. Good work by Michael Douglas and Tobey Maguire. Posted 5/13/02.

The World Is Not Enough   -- At this point, Bond movies all sort of run together; nevertheless, they're still solid entertainment.

World War Z   -- This is better than I ever figured it would be. The subject matter has a lot of inherent absurdity, and this film seemed destined to lead to a lot of eye-rolling. Perhaps it’s Brad Pitt’s skill at forming a connection with the audience that leads the viewer to give the story more credence than critical thinking would normally allow. There’s also a shrewd decision made by the director and screenwriters, in that the action comes quick and rarely lets up; there’s no real time for questioning, and that piece of cagey filmmaking serves this work very well. Posted 1/8/14.

The World’s End   -- Consistently amusing and entertaining story about drinking, friendship, and the apocalypse, not necessarily in that order. The Britishness of the principals involved really shines through, lending the film heavy doses of appealing eccentricity as well as a notable way with the language that sparks many of the laughs. Interesting to compare and contrast this with that other apocalyptic comedy, the recently viewed This Is The End; the differences clearly stem from the creators’ nationalities, and each film is appropriate to its own kind. Can’t really say which is better or worse; just that, in this case, this is exactly the kind of funny movie the limeys do best. Posted 4/27/14.

Wreck-it Ralph   -- Again, the Pixar problem, but this one overcomes it in a big way. That probably owes to the fact that this movie breaks the template in important ways (for instance, there’s a decided lack of ginned up, vaguely false sentiment here). Also, the film’s intelligence really shines through in the execution; the filmmakers create a world with its own rules, and they adhere to those rules all the way through. It’s just a very smart film. And, to top it off, it’s an extra hoot for anyone old enough to remember the originals of many of these games. Strong stuff. Posted 3/9/13.