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The unforgettable Unforgettable?
New movie releases this week include Katherine Heigl’s return to the big screen, plus The Promise, Truman, and more
Unforgettable: Remember Katherine Heigl?
Movie
Unforgettable ***
It’s been two years since Katherine Heigl has appeared in a movie. Imagine my horror when, halfway through the trailer for <em>Unforgettable</em>, a warning voice began yelling in my ear: <em>Oh no... it can’t be... SOMEONE WENT AND BUDGETED ANOTHER KATHERINE HEIGL PICTURE!</em> But my horror was (somewhat) misplaced: the queen of failed romcoms here trades in her ill-fitting bridal gown for a more icy couture, and the shift into darkness makes for a good fit in this superior domestic thriller. It's more than just a typical possessive-ex revenge pic — with Heigl's mephitic villain and her even-better stalkee Rosario Dawson to thank. Great cinema? Get real! It’s a stalker picture starring an entitled TV actress on the skids. But for what it is, and in consideration of the expectations that accompanied me into the theatre, this was a hell of a lot better way to spend the afternoon than anticipated. This marks famed producer Denise Di Novi’s (<em>Heathers, Edward Scissorhands</em>) first time in the director’s chair.
Have you forgotten that the Katherine Heigl crazy-ex thriller Unforgettable opens today? Probably not, because you probably never knew it in the first place. Hey-o! But here’s what’s really unforgettable: Scott Marks liked it. Full of surprises, that one. Oh, and here’s another surprise: he’s holding his review while he mulls over this shocking development, possibly in retaliation for the studios having failed to screen it in advance. We promise to keep you posted as to when it will post.
Movie
Promise ***
<em>The Promise</em> follows <em>The Ottoman Lieutenant</em> and <em>Queen of the Desert</em> as the third film in almost as many weeks set in the Ottoman Empire near the end of World War I. They saved the best for last. When the Turks learned that former studio head Kirk Kerkorian planned on turning Franz Werfel’s 1933 novel <em>The Forty Days of Musa Dagh</em> into a feature film, they threatened to interfere with the distribution of MGM’s films in Turkey. Additional pressure was put on the American government, and the project was shelved. But for whatever reason, Kerkorian could not go to his grave without this story being told onsceen. He signed a check for $100 million and insisted that all proceeds go to charity. The result is a sprawling, ‘60s-style epic with just enough political intrigue to prop up the occasionally wobbly romantic triangle formed by Oscar Isaac, Charlotte Le Bon, and an uncharacteristically ill-fitting Christian Bale. Terry George (<em>Reservation Road</em>) directs.
Speaking of promises (it’s a slow week), Scott also liked The Promise, in part, no doubt, for its grab at epic grandeur. And maybe just a weensy bit for its good intentions. I, on the other hand, couldn’t sign on with The Lost City of Z’s grab at epic grandeur, in part because I couldn’t fathom its intentions toward its protagonist. It’s one thing to say a hero is complicated. It’s another to make him downright murky. Handsome as heck, though — both star and film. I had a little more regard for Mr. Gaga, which worked in some quiet criticism amid the adulation for a modern dance icon.
But enough about me. Scott’s very good week continued with Truman, an old-guys movie that cleared the unpleasant old-guy smell that last week’s Going in Style left in his cranial cavity. Only the derivative bang-bang antics of Free Fire disappointed. (Scorsese produced!)
Shame on us for missing Norman: the Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer. Apparently, now that China is financing Hollywood, it’s harder than ever for Richard Gere to find work. (I kinda liked Arbitrage.) And speaking of China, Disneynature — go ahead and let the terror of that brand identity sink in for a moment — went and hired a Chinese director for Born in China, then had the audacity to claim, “When you try to manufacture something, it’s sticky.” Heh. Anyway, we missed that one, too, sort of on purpose. Also the foodie doc In Search of Israeli Cuisine. Rough week.
Here's something you might be interested in.
The unforgettable Unforgettable?
New movie releases this week include Katherine Heigl’s return to the big screen, plus The Promise, Truman, and more
The unforgettable Unforgettable?
New movie releases this week include Katherine Heigl’s return to the big screen, plus The Promise, Truman, and more
Unforgettable: Remember Katherine Heigl?
Movie
Unforgettable ***
It’s been two years since Katherine Heigl has appeared in a movie. Imagine my horror when, halfway through the trailer for <em>Unforgettable</em>, a warning voice began yelling in my ear: <em>Oh no... it can’t be... SOMEONE WENT AND BUDGETED ANOTHER KATHERINE HEIGL PICTURE!</em> But my horror was (somewhat) misplaced: the queen of failed romcoms here trades in her ill-fitting bridal gown for a more icy couture, and the shift into darkness makes for a good fit in this superior domestic thriller. It's more than just a typical possessive-ex revenge pic — with Heigl's mephitic villain and her even-better stalkee Rosario Dawson to thank. Great cinema? Get real! It’s a stalker picture starring an entitled TV actress on the skids. But for what it is, and in consideration of the expectations that accompanied me into the theatre, this was a hell of a lot better way to spend the afternoon than anticipated. This marks famed producer Denise Di Novi’s (<em>Heathers, Edward Scissorhands</em>) first time in the director’s chair.
Have you forgotten that the Katherine Heigl crazy-ex thriller Unforgettable opens today? Probably not, because you probably never knew it in the first place. Hey-o! But here’s what’s really unforgettable: Scott Marks liked it. Full of surprises, that one. Oh, and here’s another surprise: he’s holding his review while he mulls over this shocking development, possibly in retaliation for the studios having failed to screen it in advance. We promise to keep you posted as to when it will post.
Movie
Promise ***
<em>The Promise</em> follows <em>The Ottoman Lieutenant</em> and <em>Queen of the Desert</em> as the third film in almost as many weeks set in the Ottoman Empire near the end of World War I. They saved the best for last. When the Turks learned that former studio head Kirk Kerkorian planned on turning Franz Werfel’s 1933 novel <em>The Forty Days of Musa Dagh</em> into a feature film, they threatened to interfere with the distribution of MGM’s films in Turkey. Additional pressure was put on the American government, and the project was shelved. But for whatever reason, Kerkorian could not go to his grave without this story being told onsceen. He signed a check for $100 million and insisted that all proceeds go to charity. The result is a sprawling, ‘60s-style epic with just enough political intrigue to prop up the occasionally wobbly romantic triangle formed by Oscar Isaac, Charlotte Le Bon, and an uncharacteristically ill-fitting Christian Bale. Terry George (<em>Reservation Road</em>) directs.
Speaking of promises (it’s a slow week), Scott also liked The Promise, in part, no doubt, for its grab at epic grandeur. And maybe just a weensy bit for its good intentions. I, on the other hand, couldn’t sign on with The Lost City of Z’s grab at epic grandeur, in part because I couldn’t fathom its intentions toward its protagonist. It’s one thing to say a hero is complicated. It’s another to make him downright murky. Handsome as heck, though — both star and film. I had a little more regard for Mr. Gaga, which worked in some quiet criticism amid the adulation for a modern dance icon.
But enough about me. Scott’s very good week continued with Truman, an old-guys movie that cleared the unpleasant old-guy smell that last week’s Going in Style left in his cranial cavity. Only the derivative bang-bang antics of Free Fire disappointed. (Scorsese produced!)
Shame on us for missing Norman: the Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer. Apparently, now that China is financing Hollywood, it’s harder than ever for Richard Gere to find work. (I kinda liked Arbitrage.) And speaking of China, Disneynature — go ahead and let the terror of that brand identity sink in for a moment — went and hired a Chinese director for Born in China, then had the audacity to claim, “When you try to manufacture something, it’s sticky.” Heh. Anyway, we missed that one, too, sort of on purpose. Also the foodie doc In Search of Israeli Cuisine. Rough week.
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