The Number 23 - Review

The Number 23

I was torn between watching this movie or not. On one hand you have a movie about the "secret life of numbers" and an interesting twist on numerology. The trailer for this movie made it appear interesting (TV Spot). These types of stories I've always been a fan of. On the other hand you have Jim Carrey once again, trying to act in a serious role and those rarely turn out good. Then reading the reviews on the film by not only "professional" movie critics but also "normal" people, my interest sank a little bit more.

The film is directed by Joel Schumacker, who has always been a hit or miss director. Jim Carrey plays Walter Sparrow who starts out as your normal, everyday dog-catcher family man. This movie relies on fate a lot so it might take multiple viewings of this movie to notice everything and maybe even understand it completely. Don't worry though, it's not like "Donnie Darko" where my 15th viewing of the movie still doesn't explain everything to me.

On Walter's birthday a dog bites him which causes him to be late to meet his wife, Agatha (Virginia Madsen). As she is waiting for him, she wanders into a bookstore and picks up a book that revolves around the number 23. She gives it to Walter for his birthday and after reading a bit into it, Walter is captivated by the book. He also notices that the book seems to have parallels to his own life. He then notices how the number 23 plays out in his own life. After becoming obsessed with the number 23 and finding out what connection the number and the book has, he goes off in search of the author and why it was written.

From all the bad coverage of this movie I was let down after I decided I wanted to see this movie. It was hard to put those negative comments out of my head while watching it. Maybe they made me like it then.

Grade - B

This movie is pretty good. The cinematography is pretty good and Jim Carrey does a pretty good job at acting in a somewhat serious role. I wanted this movie to drag out more of the numerology aspect. The progression of the story is fairly quick and well presented. The movie reveals certain pieces of information quick enough not to leave you bored and watching filler. I won't give too much away but I do have to mention that the least believable part is that the person who moves the body would actually do that...no matter who the other person was. One of the most decent thrillers I've seen in a while. They just don't make movies like Se7en anymore.

Fun With Dick And Jane (2005) - Review

Fun With Dick And Jane (2005)

Ahh remakes. The dying grasp of Hollywood to reuse ideas that worked once a few years ago and "update" them. I'm still waiting for that updated version of "Citizen Kane". What's that you say? It's too precious of a movie to do that to? Well I would have agreed with you up until 1998 when "Psycho" was remade or 2006 when "All The King's Men" was remade. I'm still waiting for the movie remake with enough gull to show, shot for shot, the same movie with the new actors.

The best thing about this movie is that it brought back Jim Carrey to what he does best - his own brand of comedy. Not since Bruce Almighty have we got to see him back in his element of being really funny. His improve shows in the film and I believe it actually helps the movie. Te'a Lenoi plays his other half and I can never really see her in these types of comedy movies considering her voice hardly ever cracks beyond that harsh whisper of her normal speaking. Alec Baldwin even got roped into this picture, I don't know how, but he did.

The story is the same as the old one. Dick (Carrey) looses his job after getting a promotion he has been working for for a while. Before knowing he was going to lose his job, he convinces his wife, Jane (Leoni), to quit her job. So with both of them out of work and still wanting to maintain their standard of living, Dick decides to steal the money he needs to keep up with everyone around his block. There are definitely some clever and hilarious ways both Dick and Jane carry out their cappers. This leads Dick to the plan of stealing from the man who cost him his job, his former CEO Jack McCallister (Baldwin). They also need to prove that Dick did nothing wrong when the company closed or he will face enditement with the rest of the company players who are taking the fall for the CEO. McCallister plays your stereotypical smug, pompous, arrogant CEO type, but I don't see why you had to get someone like Alec Baldwin to play him.

Grade - B

Now I'm usually not one for remakes, but this was just hilarious. It's Jim Carrey being himself again. No man trapped in his own world, no crazy "spotless mind", nothing like that. He is funny again! For once, Tea Leoni almost acts! In most of her movies, if she isn't crying, then she has that look like air is going in one ear and out the other and you can actually hear the whistle or she has a stupid look of a puppy dog. There are a few minor plot points that I didn't like too much and it's a bit slow starting and that's why I didn't give it an A. However, this movie was still funny. Watch the deleted scenes too and you get to see a lot more of where the director wanted to take the characters. Things like "keeping up with the Jones'", and steal for convince rather than need, and a great fight with an old man. The gag real on the DVD is hilarious as well.