The Dog

Standing in the video store the other day I felt a little like I do before choosing my football picks - this could go either way. I've been more than disappointed lately in the state of new releases. It seems that movie makers in the last few years are obsessed with 'the twist' and overcompensate by adding too many. So when I think the film has reached its climax, when the first twist is introduced, I'm completely numbed when another appears and another and another. I grappled with my choice and opted finally for 23. At my video store if you rent an A flick you get a B flick for free. I grabbed a film I'd never heard of called Undertow, thinking that if I don't get around to watching it so be it, it was free. Now here's where picking videos is like picking football teams. The A film, the favourite, should be the better film and the B film, the dog, the loser. However, like every Sunday or Monday night during NFL season the dog could kill the favourite. Some weeks I take the dog, others the favourite and it's still a crap shoot. 23 was hammered by Undertow. The dog won hands down. 23 starring Jim Carrey and Virginia Madsen is just another one of those films attempting to do too much. It had too many plot twists, week dialogue, so much confusion and jumping around. Much like last week's Dallas vs Buffalo game - unbelievable. Undertow starring Dermot Mulroney and Josh Lucas, released in 2004, was remarkable. Great story, acting, intensity. The kids Jamie Bell and Devon Alun stole the show. And director David Gordon Green maintains all the things that Hollywood has long since forgotten. Undertow is like a really well-written short story. It had conflict, focus, was concise,not too many characters, smooth plot line and full of impact. I won't go into what the story is about but I'd recommend it based on how well it was executed. Keep it simple, go for the jugular. This week in my pool - I'm taking the dogs.