DVD Review: Traffic (B+)

Traffic (2000)
Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Starring Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Benicio Del Toro, Luis Guzman, Erika Christensen, Don Cheadle
MPAA: R
Grade: B+

Review by Scott Standish

Inspired by the dramatic Traffik miniseries, this entertaining thriller is an excellent rumination on the complexities of the so-called "war on drugs". The always right on target Steven Soderbergh directed this character piece from a script by Stephen Gaghan. Traffic stars Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta Jones, Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro, Erika Christensen and one of our favorite character actors, Luis Guzman (The Limey, Salton Sea, Boogie Nights, Carlito's Way - Rise To Power.

There are several overlapping stories in Traffic, but the main storyline centers around Michael Douglas, who has just been named drug czar for the United States. However as he takes the position he realizes that his daughter is a crack head that is on the road to heroin addiction. Benicio Del Toro (Sin City) plays Javier Rodriguez, a cop in Mexico that is trying to do the right thing yet still survive in a corrupt government system that is holding its people back. Catherine Zeta Jones quite convincingly plays the wife of a lying, drug dealing son of a bitch. In a bit of a surprise move for the script, when her husband falls into trouble she has no problem taking over the business. That impressed me. I guess sometimes a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.

As you can see, there is an awful lot going on here but Soderbergh (Ocean's Eleven, Solaris, Sex, Lies & Videotape, Full Frontal) does a fantastic job of keeping everything on track. The film runs almost two and a half hours long but the pace is always perfect, and Traffic keeps you enthralled all the way (quite an achievemtent). Even though the story line involving Michael Douglas is a bit ludicrous (what a coincidence that his daughter is strung out as he takes the drug zar post, right?), the Javier Rodriguez storyline and the storyline involving Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda, Crash) and Luis Guzman as two DEA agents trying to make in a difference work marvelously.

My biggest complaint about Traffic is it's obvious "made for tv" look and feel. Often the colors seem shaded to give it a grainy tv docudrama look, and that must be what they were aiming for, since this is based on a successful mini-series. This style also might be a play on how the drug war is being fought as much in the media as it is on the streets these days. But it lacked the dynamic punch that I was looking for visually.

Traffic has some great performances (especially by Del Toro, who won a best supporting Oscar) and an interesting message. Its an excellent rental, and for fans of Del Toro, Catherine Zeta Jones (The Legend of Zorro, Chicago) or Michael Douglas (I guess there has to be some still out there somewhere) this movie is even worth owning.

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DVD Review: Sexy Beast (C-)

Sexy Beast (2001)
Directed By: Jonathon Glazer
Starring Ray Winstone and Ben Kingsley
Rating: C-

Review By Scott Standish

I love gangster movies, especially the brutal, Scorcese/Tarantino kind. So, needless to say, I was very excited to hear about this film. It seemed to have everything: an ex-gangster being brought back for a big score, Ben Kingsley playing a tough as nails crime lieutenant, and even some sex appeal (the main character's wife being a retired porn actress).

Ben Kingsley was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor oscar for this performance, so I was expecting a lot from this. Maybe too much, in fact, as I came away from this movie very disappointed.

Sexy Beast tells the story of Gal, a retired criminal (played by Ray Winstone) that has retreated to a plush estate in the hills of Spain. His days are wondrous. He sunbathes by the pool, sipping cocktails all day, eating fine food and living the good life. Obviously he has cleaned up over the years - his life of crime has paid off well, and he has successfully gotten out of the game. But, as Pacino says, "Everytime I think I am out, they pull me back in".

Mob enforcer Don Logan (played by Kingsley) comes to stay with them, and repeatedly berates and pressures Gal to join up for one last robbery. There is a subplot involving the top mob boss, a CEO of a major corporation, and Kingsley's love for Gal's best friend's wife. But ultimately, this all seems to go nowhere as its hard to side with any of the characters, or really feel anything about these turn of events. There are some attempts at dark comedy here, and a bit of the ol' ultra violence. All the ingredients were added, but for some reason, this film just doesn't gel properly.

The dialogue is rather weak and I left this DVD wondering what had been left on the cutting room floor? Maybe a reason for the wife's past being mentioned so often? More on the past between Don Logan and Gal's buddie's wife? But even there was more to this (and I am sure there was) why wasnt it a bigger part of the story.

Overrall, Sexy Beast is not that beastly, nor sexy, and it fails to add up to the sum of its parts.

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DVD Review: Slingblade (B-)

Sling Blade
Directed By: Billy Bob Thornton
Starring Billy Bob Thornton, Dwight Yoakam and John Ritter
Grade: B-

Review by Scott Standish

Sling Blade is an incredible tour de force for Billy Bob Thornton. His acting, directing, and for the most part, even his writing is top notch. However the 135 minute running time of this film is way too long, considering the slow pace at which this film moves. Although I do recommend this film, particularly for the performances (Thornton and Dwight Yoakam are great), there were some major sticking points holding me back from completely embracing Sling Blade.

As most people know, Sling Blade is a re-make of Billy Bob Thornton's short film "Some People Call It A Sling Blade". It tells the story of a mentally challenged man who is released from the hospital, many years after committing a horrible murder. It is at this point that a minor flaw in the script appears: The caretaker of the hospital releases the main character, Karl Childers, simply because his time has run out on his sentence, even though he admits that he is potentially a threat to society. The next day, Karl returns and asks if he can stay because he has no place to go. Now what hospital would simply release a crazed killer from their care without at least arranging a half way house, or checking on family connections for the patient? The script then tries to show this caretaker as someone who looks out for Karl. Wasnt this the same guy that just released him without coordinating any after incarceration arrangements? The script won a Best Screenplay Academy Award for Billy Bob Thornton, so the plot here does make sense, and its truly engaging, but hey, this minor flaw just stuck out for me.

Script issues aside, the biggest problem with Sling Blade is actually the horrendous score by Daniel Lanois. I really like Lanois' work in general, especially his work with Eno and U2. But in Sling Blade, his trippy guitar work and telegraphed sentimentalism is just way over the top. Every time I got drawn into a scene (either from Thornton's performance or the great acting work of the underrated John Ritter), the music would swell up and overtake the scene. Sometimes less is more, and the music here just should have been scaled back (or not used at all).

Does Sling Blade suck? No, its a fine film that is carried by the great performances of Billy Bob Thornton, John Ritter and Dwight Yoakam. I only wish that the Lanois score was toned down, and that the film was shortened a bit. Thornton could have lopped 15-20 minutes out of this easily, and sped up the pace. Those changes alone would have made Sling Blade a more effective film.

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DVD Review: Die Hard 2

Die Hard 2
Directed by Renny Harlin
Starring Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, John Amos and Dennis Franz
MPAA: R
Grade: C-

Review by Bobby Nashville

What happened? The first Die Hard was a real guilty pleasure. Lots of explosions and lots of laughs. Die Hard 2, better known as "Die Hard in an airport" comes up short on both accounts.

This time around John McClane is traveling back home for Christmas when bad guys seize the airport in an attempt to land a plane carrying a known terrorist. Dennis Franz plays the airport security chief of police that doesn't want to believe Bruce Willis. John Amos makes a decent turn here as a commando but other than that the casting and acting is pretty poor.

If you're like me, you watched this one to get from Die Hard 1 to Die Hard 3, the "other good Die Hard movie" starring Bruce and Samuel Jackson. To help get you through Die Hard 2allow me to recommend the following drinking game:

Bobby Nashville's Die Hard 2 Drinking Game: Grab a bottle of your favorite libation, and take a swig whenever anyone swears. By the time you wake up the movie will be over, and you can safely move on to Die Hard 3.

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