Category: Reviews

Jealousy, name-calling, tears: And it’s only the first week

Jae-Ha Kim

‘Temptation Island 3″ promises: No games. No millionaires. No prizes. No kidding. Let’s face it: Shows like this are all about games. The pawns are willing participants who trade a little bit of their dignity for a free vacation to a tropical island where they’re televised flirting and often making out with 14 hot members of the opposite sex. This is one viewer’s impressions of the desires and deceptions this week on Fox’s island of seduction.

Game Zone: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds, Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution, Soul Caliber II

Jae-Ha Kim

Fast action, cool animation and plenty of options make this one of the best fighting games, bar none. There may be only 15 characters to select from, but thanks to the 1,500 accessory options (hair, clothes, facial features), there seem to be dozens more.

“Marci X”: Livin’ the thug life–with all the bugs

Jae-Ha Kim

The running theme through “Marci X” is, “You’ve got to be real.” That’s what Damon Wayans’ thug rapper Dr. $ says, and what Lisa Kudrow’s pampered Marci Feld parrots back. The thing is, there’s nothing real about the characters in this dismal comedy. Even as a satire, it fails because the filmmakers don’t understand the subject they’re satirizing.

Who wins in ‘Freddy vs. Jason’? Not the audience

Jae-Ha Kim

Don’t bother asking who the ultimate winner is in the battle between “Freddy vs. Jason.” We’re not supposed to tell you. But suffice it to say you don’t have to be clairvoyant to realize this franchise isn’t going to die, even if one of the lead characters supposedly does.

“Step Into Liquid”: Surfing doc never catches the right wave 

Jae-Ha Kim

Dana Brown’s surfing documentary “Step Into Liquid” features lush locations, magnificent waves and rocking surfer bodies. So why does the film feel so much longer than its 88-minute running time? I liken it to a spa treatment, where the anticipation of soaking in a mud bath or taking a long, hot steam sounds wonderful but, in reality, proves to get old fast. There’s only so much relaxation you can take before you’re antsy to leave.

Ever felt like a misfit teen? Go to ‘Camp’

Jae-Ha Kim

At Camp Ovation, sports is a four-letter word. A gym teacher is as out of place there as a dance instructor would be at basketball camp. So when shy Ellen is dateless for her school dance, or Michael gets beat up for wearing a dress and heels to his prom, they cling to the thought that they’ll be at a better place–Camp Ovation–in just a few days. Based on his own experiences attending a summer musical workshop, “Camp” is screenwriter Todd Graff’s directorial debut.

“8-Track, The Sounds of the ’70s”

Jae-Ha Kim

There are some of us who lived through the 1970s who not only loved the soundtrack of that era, but also have fond memories of that decade’s music–even schmaltzy numbers such as “You Light Up My Life,” “I’m Not in Love” and, yes, “I Write the Songs.” So it’s not surprising that Rick Seeber came up with “8-Track, the Sounds of the ’70s.” What is unfortunate, however, is that the director either had too little time to craft an innovative stage production or just didn’t care enough about the music to attempt doing it justice.

Spike Lee knows the score

Jae-Ha Kim

Shelton Lee always had a bit of an edge. When his schoolteacher mother began calling him Spike, even he realized the nickname fit him to a T. “I was always a little different,” Lee says, laughing. “I don’t think I knew it as a kid, but it wasn’t a bad thing. I grew up in a wonderful environment filled with love, knowledge and lots of jazz.”

Boot up and play ball!

Jae-Ha Kim

The All-Star game hits Comiskey, um, US Cellular Field on Tuesday. For those who can’t get enough baseball, we’ve got some of this season’s big hitters and strikeouts … in videogames, we mean. As for the popcorn and peanuts, you’re on your own.

Sheryl Crow cranks out cool hits for overheated crowd

Jae-Ha Kim

There are few artists who’re better fitted for a lazy summer evening than Sheryl Crow. Her clear, distinctive voice rings effortlessly through a crowd and–just as important–her songs are devoid of any hidden agenda. She writes and sings in such an honest, straightforward manner that you don’t feel duped.

Confusing ‘Onmyoji’ casts an interesting spell

Jae-Ha Kim

Once you get past the exotic costumers and Kabuki-inspired makeup in “Onmyoji,” you realize that the subtitled Japanese film really is a dark, supernatural fairy tale not unlike “The Lord of the Rings.” OK, there are no dwarves, elves or sorcerers in “Onmyoji,” but the film is peppered with magicians, demons and, well, the undead.

“The Real Cancun”

Jae-Ha Kim

Reality not only bites in “The Real Cancun.” It smells. Watching this film, I thought about a recent Onion Headline: “Girl Gone Wild Actually Just Regular Girl, Only More Insecure and Drunk.” Add the male gender into that headline and you’ve pretty much got the plot for what’s being touted as the first reality feature film, courtesy of the producers of MTV’s “The Real World.”