Review of Thirteen Days (2000) by Jennifer A — 17 May 2008

Yeah.....more movies to review!

[b]Pollock (2000) - 5.0/10[/b].

Director - Ed Harris.

Starring - Ed Harris, Marcia Gay Harden, Amy Madigan, Jennifer Connelly, Jeffrey Tambor.

Ed Harris stars in and directs this biopic about abstract painter Jackson Pollock. Unfortunately the film isn't as abstract in it's approach. Pollock was a rather irritating character and a conventional biopic didn't make this an interesting view for me. The acting is fine however, with Marcia Gay Harden winning a surprise Oscar.

[b]8 Mile (2002) - 5.0/10[/b].

Director - Curtis Hanson.

Starring - Eminem, Kim Basinger, Mekhi Phifer, Brittany Murphy, Omar Benson Miller, Evan Jones, Anthony Mackie.

This urban drama about a white wannabe rapper from Detroit is at least semi-autobiographical story about it's star Eminem. He's not nearly as bad as I anticipated but it's a pretty basic underdog story. Not a horrible film, but not very good either. "Hustle & Flow" is a better film about an aspiring rapper.

[b]Black Snake Moan (2007) - 6.3/10[/b].

Director - Craig Brewer.

Starring - Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci, Justin Timberlake, John Cothran Jr., S. Epatha Merkerson.

Craig Brewer's followup to "Hustle & Flow" stars Samuel L. Jackson as Lazarus, a hard-living blues guitarist who stumbles across a beaten Rae (Christina Ricci) on the side of the road. Rae is sex-crazed and wild, so Lazarus chains her up in his house hoping to cure her from the "demons" that inhibit her body.

This film didn't hold up as well to a second viewing after losing a bit of it's shock value. The music, however, is awesome.

[b]Thirteen Days (2000) - 6.4/10[/b].

Director - Roger Donaldson.

Starring - Kevin Costner, Bruce Greenwood, Steven Culp, Kevin Conway, Dylan Baker, Michael Fairman.

The story of the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 that almost ended in a nuclear war between the US and the Soviet Union, [i]Thirteen Days [/i]stars Kevin Costner as Kenny O'Donnell, friend and special assistant to President John F. Kennedy (Bruce Greenwood) and brother Bobby (Steven Culp). The film depicts the thirteen days of mind games played by both sides.

The film is believable and well-acted. Donaldson definitely plays it safe with the material which probably kept this from being really good. Still it's a solid effort.