jsemovieman

Each year, less than 50 % of mainstream AMC films can truly be called "good movies." The majority of them are unoriginal, poorly made, or crowd-pleasers. When it comes to the horror genre, it is rare to see a true mainstream gem.

This year, Eli Roth's pseudo-horror film, "Hostel," is best described as a modern Roman coliseum. It is a wasteful piece of violence and sex-filled entertainment, in which moviegoers, sadly, waste their money on. At the local Cineplex, "Hostel," was sold out opening night. The audience laughed and cheered at the sex, violence, and torture. Entertainment, and film-going in general, has reached a pathetic new height.

The premise of "Hostel" has potential. Three pleasure-seeking males go on a foreign escapade of drugs and sex, hoping to sleep with as many women as possible. What starts off as an imitation of Eurotrip or a Van Wilder movie soon turns into a masochistic vacation from hell. Rich men have payed big money to torture and murder these American pigs.

When "Hostel" shifts drastically in its tone and filming style, one would expect some kind of substance or genuine type of horror. Unfortunately, Roth's film is a flat-liner. This film is not scary, and nothing comes unexpected. Unlike the best horror film of 2005, "Wolf Creek," Eli Roth presents "Hostel" for pure shock value. His characters are ridiculously 2-D, and seeing them get tortured does not feel all that bad. The viewer should have some sort of empathy for these helpless victims, but they are seen as puppets in a circus act.

Takashi Miike, the modern king of Japanese horror, has a cameo in "Hostel." Referring to the warehouse where the torture is happening, he says, "Be careful. You could lose all your money in there." What a true statement—for Eli Roth, for his worthless characters in the film, and for moviegoers squandering money to see a disgraceful waste of bad horror.

As the closing feature of the 2005 St. Louis International Film Festival, "Mrs. Henderson Presents" was shown to a nearly full theatre. Coming from the United Kingdom, the film is not a drama nor is it a comedy. "Mrs. Henderson Presents" is best described as a "dramedy" mixed with a musical. Judi Dench dives into her usual role with ease, playing Laura Henderson. As an upper-class widow left with heaps of money, she decides to purchase a theatre, which she names The Windmill. Through the love-hate relationship between Mrs. Henderson and her theatre manager (the terrific Bob Hoskins), they present the most revolutionary program in England: nude women on stage. "Mrs. Henderson Presents," constantly switches from drama to comedy, but is so skillfully directed by Stephen Frears that it maintains a fluid and graceful tone. This is a film that is told through the eyes of its main character, Laura Henderson, so an unrealistic sense of optimism exists. The message lies in the naïve buoyancy Mrs. Henderson grabs from the continuous tragedy and sadness.

Stephen Frear's new film is truly heartbreaking and tragic, but ironically, is incredibly fun. In "Mrs. Henderson Presents," The Windmill Theatre stands tall like a knight in shining armor to the soldiers and crowds of England. It is also a pleasurable escape that certainly deserves more than one visit.

Director Wim Wenders claims that "Cinema often achieves its greatest power by refusing to show what it is trying to evoke." In "Paradise Now," director Hany Abu-Assad accomplishes this power with a superb subtlety. He creates intense moments of suspense, building up to a memorable climax in which many answers are left up in the air.

Set in Palestine, Kais Nashef and Ali Suliman play two best friends who are chosen to cross into Israel, as suicide bombers. In preparation for the mission, Assad films a scene extremely reminiscent of The Last Supper, but does not stress any religious beliefs. "Paradise Now" does not take one side or another when it comes to the controversial issue of suicide bombers. The film does not have an original score nor any music whatsoever. With no music contributing to the complex emotions of the characters, as well as those of the audience, "Paradise Now" feels like a haunting and unexpectedly straightforward documentary, even though it is entirely fictional. With simple cinematography and a fairly neutral position on a strong subject matter, many of the film's ambiguous stances are left over for reflection. Nashef and Suliman absorb their characters into a powerful story, and into one of the best foreign films of the year.