Every week, Carolina Productions plays movies in the Russell House Theater–a movie at 6 p.m. and a movie at 9 p.m. If you’re uncertain whether either of these movies are worth your time, check out our “6″ and “9″ movie reviews (for their show times, respectively). Scroll to the very bottom of the reviews for a Final Verdict rating–6 (if the 6 p.m. showing is the only worthy one), 9, or 69 (they’re both amazing!). Check here every Monday for updated reviews!
@6: “Precious”
Mo’Nique’s Real Award: Best Cuss-Out of the Year
By Michael Lambert
There are always those brutally honest films that are, well, brutally honest. They beat society’s ills over audiences’ heads as if subtlety were as magical a word as hocus pocus. These movies, for me, always get so wrapped up in their gravity—so set on shocking the middle-class, white Americans that fill the movie theaters to the point of fire hazard—that they lose the whole point of a film; character, plot, cinematography, the works. Audiences are left with nothing more than a “Dateline” special, squirming in their seats as they reach for the popcorn.
“Precious” has received several accolades, but still I was wary of its success. Can a drama like this really deserve this much attention? Can Mo’Nique really deserve to be taken seriously — with gems like “Phat Girlz” studding her career? Through the first 30 minutes, however, I was hooked. Perhaps “Precious” is still a little raw for all the gold and finery heaped on it, but it’s definitely a movie worth seeing.
The film follows the story of its eponymous character, Precious, the daughter of an abusive mother (Mo’Nique) and who leads a life filled with exclusion and little hope. From rape to violence to the yearnings of a trapped young woman, Precious embodies fully the urban youth, fighting to escape a life she has already escaped in her dreams. Drawn tightly around her are other female figures, stark reminders of the inner-city women who surround us, seemingly invisible and filled with stories of pain. One, in the end, is really unsure how to take this girl. Does she warrant pity? Fear? Or a little of both?
Mo’Nique, as the embittered mother, reveals a side of her acting never before seen. I hate to say this, but it almost seems natural to her, this woman who is one-part pathetic and three-parts evil. If this movie is ever worth seeing, it is for this performance, which may make this erstwhile comedian’s career. At least she is no longer more of a joke than her actual material.
Stop by Russell for this film. It’s a wake up call, but not one that makes you feel guilty for the life you’ve led. Struggles are laid bare, struggles which we should feel blessed to have never felt and which we should recognize really exist for those close around us.
Rating: 6
@ 9: Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day
Revenge of the 90s Part 1: Sequels from Beyond the Grave
By Zack Mattioni
The original “Boondock Saints” was a slapdash mess of bad acting, ridiculous gunfights and excessive slow motion with ample amounts of racism, homophobia and stupidity thrown in for good measure. However, at the time (1999), there was much worse out there. Seriously, this was the year that brought us “Star Wars: Episode One”, so no one’s expectations were all that high. Rather than be content with his minor hit, however, writer/director/musician/idiot Troy Duffy flipped-off Hollywood, critics and taste and made a sequel as relevant as Marcy Playground’s reunion (had to make the 90s reference. folks).
Nine years later, the McManus brothers (who look to have spent that entire time shooting heroin) are back and out for vengeance. Their new foe: Judd Nelson. Yes, Bender from “The Breakfast Club” has apparently escalated from unhinging the library door to killing priests, execution style. He’s one bad dude, as is evidenced by the fact that he yells a lot and beats a subordinate with a salami (meat violence is apparently all the rage in movies these days; see “Law Abiding Citizen”). However, the brothers are no pushovers as they shave off their nine-year-hiatus-beards with garden shears. They are also apparently the worlds most skilled barbers because after the dramatic shaving scene, both of the McManus’ have perfect chinstraps (the most bad-ass facial hair). Bill Conolloy as Poppa McManus returns as well, and spends the entire movie channeling a sheep. Hell, yeah.
The script is something that Quentin Tarantino would have written circa third grade. Duffy tries so desperately to capture the wit of his much better counterpart but never really gets anywhere beyond making fun of gays and Mexicans. And this isn’t just poking fun, I mean this guy really hates minorities. At any moment I was expecting one of the brothers to whip out his hood and yell “white power.” The only time in the whole film that I did laugh was when the stereotypical bumbling detective sings “Sister Christian” because honestly, who the hell remembers Night Ranger?
So, with “Boondock Saints II,” I got exactly what I expected: lots of violence and lots of stupid. If you were a die-hard fan of the first one, you’ll love this next installment. Also, if you fall into this category, chance are you’re a sociopath seeing as the message of both movies is: “The justice system blows. Now–vigilantism, that stuff is boss”.
FINAL VERDICT: 69!!!
6, 9, or 69? updates every Monday.
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