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CNN Live Sunday

Reviews of 'Cat in the Hat,' 'Gothika,' '21 Grams'

Aired November 23, 2003 - 10:43   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Dr. Seuss hits the big screen again. This time it is a live-action version of the children's book "The Cat in the Hat". Mike Myers creates merry mayhem. He's the leading role's character. I like the way they say that. Thing One and Thing Two also helping him out.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: Some call it a goofy adaptation of Dr. Seuss' "The Cat in the Hat." Will it go splat with moviegoers?

SAVIDGE: We'll find out. That's just one of the many that are ready to greet your dollars this Thanksgiving weekend. And we've got Paul Clinton, who is going to join us now, tell us about what's good, what's not, what's hot and what went -- splat, I guess.

KOPPEL: So, Paul, what are the movies that come out this weekend?

PAUL CLINTON, FILM REVIEWER: "Cat in the Hat" "Gothika" a psychological thriller. You've got "21 Grams" which is a very strange independent film. So, you have a large choice out there. Now, "Cat in the Hat"

SAVIDGE: I was going to ask you that, start off with that one. What do you think of that one?

"Cat in the Hat"? It's a book that was 225 words. It was made as a vocabulary enhancer for first graders. There's not a whole lot of story.

But it is visually wonderful, great eye-popping, great eye candy. Directed by Bo Welch, who was a scenic designer and a production designer.

Mike Myers is great as the Cat. He does get in some zingers, but I really feel that one is for the younger kids. It ask not cross over to the adults as much as the Grinch did which actually had a story. And the same people that did the Grinch are the same ones behind this one. It is great for kids. I wasn't exactly that entertained myself.

KOPPEL: And what about "Gothika"?

CLINTON: "Gothika" is a standard issue psycho thriller, horror movie. Halle Berry plays a psychiatrist in a prison working with the mentally ill. And then she ends up waking up one morning and she is in a mental ward herself and accused of killing her husband. It is basically standard issue except Berry's performance is so great she elevates the movie. The thing I had a problem with, she's supposed to be married to Charles Durning, in this movie. I don't get that, Charles Durning, Halle Barry, I don't see it.

SAVIDGE: I don't either.

CLINTON: But it's good, but she makes it better.

SAVIDGE: "21 Grams", let's look at that one. I notice in your notes you're saying not your normal movie.

CLINTON: This is not your normal movie. This is not linear at all. It is a story about three different people, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro and Naomi Watts. One is critically ill, one is born again. She plays a distraught mother. And it takes place all over the place. In the past, in the future, in the present. You never know. It is all mixed up.

Quentin Tarantino has done that in "Reservoir Dogs," it has been done before but you really have to work at it. You really have to follow this movie carefully. It is not for everyone.

KOPPEL: We have a few movies opening Thanksgiving weekend including "The Missing" which is Ron Howard's first try at doing a Western.

CLINTON: Yeah, he was scheduled to do "The Alamo" then that fell apart due to budgetary problems. So, he ended up doing "The Missing". Now, he starred with John Wayne, I think in '74, in "The Shootist". He's always wanted to do a Western.

And this is his chance. It's Cate Blanchett, Tommy Lee Jones. But it is not your standard Western, it also involves a lot of mysticism. And in 1884 and throughout the West, there was a lot of mysticism happening at that time with the American Indians. So, it is a mix of John Ford and spooky stuff.

Blanchett is so good, she can read the phone book and I'll go.

SAVIDGE: That's interesting on the mysticism.

What about "Bad Santa"?

CLINTON: "Bad Santa" is bad. We are talking bad. It is an R- rated movie. This is for adults. A dark comedy. Do not take your kids.

Billy Bob Thornton is wonderful. He and Tony Cox, they have a team of swindlers, or conmen and every Christmas he goes to Santa. Tony Cox is a dwarf and he goes dressed up as an elf. And they target a department store. He plays Santa, on Christmas Eve. They both rob the store blind. They live on it the next year, then next Christmas they go to another city.

It's very, very funny. It is totally out there, very dark. But Billy Bob is great. He's still maintains your sympathy even though he is absolutely ghastly. KOPPEL: I was going to say hard to imagine Billy Bob Thornton cast as a good guy, but what do you think are the Oscar contenders for this year?

CLINTON: Well, conventional wisdom in Hollywood, if you want to use those three words together ...

(CROSS TALK)

CLINTON: Yeah it is "Lord of the Rings" is definitely going to get nominated. "Last Samurai", I just saw it with Tom Cruise, it is an amazing movie. "Master & Commander," with Russell Crowe is standard issue Oscar bait.

Then we're hearing about "Cold Mountain". With Nicole Kidman, Jude Law and Renee Zellweger. So, those are the four people they are talking about. The fifth could be a wild card. "Lord of the Rings" seems to be the sentimental favorite. This is the third in the series. People want to reward Peter Jackson for the entire body of work.

The first two were fantastic. Great. Paul Clinton, thanks so much for giving us some movie tips. Have a great thanksgiving.

CLINTON: You, too. Take care.

SAVIDGE: Nice to see you, Paul.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired November 23, 2003 - 10:43   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Dr. Seuss hits the big screen again. This time it is a live-action version of the children's book "The Cat in the Hat". Mike Myers creates merry mayhem. He's the leading role's character. I like the way they say that. Thing One and Thing Two also helping him out.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: Some call it a goofy adaptation of Dr. Seuss' "The Cat in the Hat." Will it go splat with moviegoers?

SAVIDGE: We'll find out. That's just one of the many that are ready to greet your dollars this Thanksgiving weekend. And we've got Paul Clinton, who is going to join us now, tell us about what's good, what's not, what's hot and what went -- splat, I guess.

KOPPEL: So, Paul, what are the movies that come out this weekend?

PAUL CLINTON, FILM REVIEWER: "Cat in the Hat" "Gothika" a psychological thriller. You've got "21 Grams" which is a very strange independent film. So, you have a large choice out there. Now, "Cat in the Hat"

SAVIDGE: I was going to ask you that, start off with that one. What do you think of that one?

"Cat in the Hat"? It's a book that was 225 words. It was made as a vocabulary enhancer for first graders. There's not a whole lot of story.

But it is visually wonderful, great eye-popping, great eye candy. Directed by Bo Welch, who was a scenic designer and a production designer.

Mike Myers is great as the Cat. He does get in some zingers, but I really feel that one is for the younger kids. It ask not cross over to the adults as much as the Grinch did which actually had a story. And the same people that did the Grinch are the same ones behind this one. It is great for kids. I wasn't exactly that entertained myself.

KOPPEL: And what about "Gothika"?

CLINTON: "Gothika" is a standard issue psycho thriller, horror movie. Halle Berry plays a psychiatrist in a prison working with the mentally ill. And then she ends up waking up one morning and she is in a mental ward herself and accused of killing her husband. It is basically standard issue except Berry's performance is so great she elevates the movie. The thing I had a problem with, she's supposed to be married to Charles Durning, in this movie. I don't get that, Charles Durning, Halle Barry, I don't see it.

SAVIDGE: I don't either.

CLINTON: But it's good, but she makes it better.

SAVIDGE: "21 Grams", let's look at that one. I notice in your notes you're saying not your normal movie.

CLINTON: This is not your normal movie. This is not linear at all. It is a story about three different people, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro and Naomi Watts. One is critically ill, one is born again. She plays a distraught mother. And it takes place all over the place. In the past, in the future, in the present. You never know. It is all mixed up.

Quentin Tarantino has done that in "Reservoir Dogs," it has been done before but you really have to work at it. You really have to follow this movie carefully. It is not for everyone.

KOPPEL: We have a few movies opening Thanksgiving weekend including "The Missing" which is Ron Howard's first try at doing a Western.

CLINTON: Yeah, he was scheduled to do "The Alamo" then that fell apart due to budgetary problems. So, he ended up doing "The Missing". Now, he starred with John Wayne, I think in '74, in "The Shootist". He's always wanted to do a Western.

And this is his chance. It's Cate Blanchett, Tommy Lee Jones. But it is not your standard Western, it also involves a lot of mysticism. And in 1884 and throughout the West, there was a lot of mysticism happening at that time with the American Indians. So, it is a mix of John Ford and spooky stuff.

Blanchett is so good, she can read the phone book and I'll go.

SAVIDGE: That's interesting on the mysticism.

What about "Bad Santa"?

CLINTON: "Bad Santa" is bad. We are talking bad. It is an R- rated movie. This is for adults. A dark comedy. Do not take your kids.

Billy Bob Thornton is wonderful. He and Tony Cox, they have a team of swindlers, or conmen and every Christmas he goes to Santa. Tony Cox is a dwarf and he goes dressed up as an elf. And they target a department store. He plays Santa, on Christmas Eve. They both rob the store blind. They live on it the next year, then next Christmas they go to another city.

It's very, very funny. It is totally out there, very dark. But Billy Bob is great. He's still maintains your sympathy even though he is absolutely ghastly. KOPPEL: I was going to say hard to imagine Billy Bob Thornton cast as a good guy, but what do you think are the Oscar contenders for this year?

CLINTON: Well, conventional wisdom in Hollywood, if you want to use those three words together ...

(CROSS TALK)

CLINTON: Yeah it is "Lord of the Rings" is definitely going to get nominated. "Last Samurai", I just saw it with Tom Cruise, it is an amazing movie. "Master & Commander," with Russell Crowe is standard issue Oscar bait.

Then we're hearing about "Cold Mountain". With Nicole Kidman, Jude Law and Renee Zellweger. So, those are the four people they are talking about. The fifth could be a wild card. "Lord of the Rings" seems to be the sentimental favorite. This is the third in the series. People want to reward Peter Jackson for the entire body of work.

The first two were fantastic. Great. Paul Clinton, thanks so much for giving us some movie tips. Have a great thanksgiving.

CLINTON: You, too. Take care.

SAVIDGE: Nice to see you, Paul.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com