Kitsap Movies 4-5-06

Published 8:00 am Wednesday, April 5, 2006

Inside Man

Starring Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster. Rated R

You gotta see this if: You need more proof of Denzel Washington’s brilliance.

final analysis: *** This is a tough movie to describe without giving too much away. It’s a well designed maze that leads its viewers down numerous false trails. The final pay-off wasn’t as rewarding as I expected, but the journey was never dull. “Inside Man” starts off as another bank heist flick complete with hostages, a charismatic crook, and an overworked detective. Thankfully, the movie quickly detours from its cops and robbers formula, turning into something completely unpredictable. Director Spike Lee makes his presence known providing cultural and racial conflict, but it’s woven into this movie with greater subtlety than in his previous films. He makes his points but never sacrifices the movie’s momentum. But what I love most about “Inside Man” is its lack of stereotypes. Washington’s cop is kooky and shady, Owen’s crook has more on his mind than the bank vault, and Jodie Foster, in particular, veers away from type playing a cold, sexy power broker hired to protect the contents of one safe deposit box by any means necessary.

Basic Instinct 2

Starring Sharon Stone, David Morrissey. Rated R

You gotta see this if: You have a shoe fetish.

final analysis: * ½ There are a couple of reasons to see this movie: you want to see the results of exceptional cosmetic surgery or you want to see a parade of hot stilletos. Beyond that, I certainly wouldn’t volunteer to sit through this completely implausible camp fest more than once. The original “Basic Instinct” wasn’t a great movie, but it scored points for shock value and suspense. The first movie kept its audience guessing even after the final credits rolled. This sequel reveals its killer during the opening credits. “Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction” brings back Sharon Stone as pulp fiction novelist Catherine Tramell. This time Catherine is living in London and being treated for risk addiction by oh-so-English psychiatrist, Michael Glass, who quickly succumbs to Ms. Tramell’s seductive ways. Yes, there’s murder; yes, there’s sex; yes, Sharon Stone looks fabulous. Unfortunately, it’s all cold and predictable with less sizzle than a bowl of oatmeal. One of Stone’s lines is “Come with me, you’ll enjoy it.” Too bad she’s lying.

Slither

Starring Michael Rooker, Elizabeth Banks. Rated R

You gotta see this if: You’ve chosen names for the slugs in your backyard.

final analysis: *** “Slither” appears destined to become a cult horror classic alongside hits such as, “The Thing,” “Army of Darkness,” and “Night of the Living Dead.” “Slither” brings back a lot of horror movie clichés but manages to make them feel fresh and funny thanks to intelligent dialogue and characters that respond to their situations with some depth and believability. The story takes place in Hicksville, U.S.A. where wealthy Grant Grant and his beloved young trophy bride, Starla, are having marital problems. Grant retreats to the local watering hole and picks up a floozy. When the pair takes to the woods to consummate their lust, they find a meteor, which turns Grant into a Jabba-the-Hutt-like thing and the floozy into a slug breeder roughly the size of an SUV. The slugs begin attacking the town’s populace and turning them into zombies who share Grant’s one burning desire. . .to get back together with his wife. It’s horror with a heart and if disgust doesn’t get you, laughter will.