“ANGELS AND DEMONS” (2009) Review

”ANGELS AND DEMONS” (2009) Review

After the success of the 2006 adaptation of Dan Brown’s novel, ”The DaVinci Code”, director Ron Howard and actor Tom Hanks returned to adapt another Brown novel that featured the character of symbologist Robert Langdon – namely,”Angels and Demons”. Although the latter novel had been published first; it became the second of Brown’s works to be adapted by Hollywood, making ”ANGELS AND DEMONS” a cinematic sequel to ”THE DaVINCI CODE”. 

”ANGELS AND DEMONS” revolves around the quest of fictional Harvard University symbologist Robert Langdon (Hanks) to uncover the mysteries of a secret society called the Illuminati and to unravel a plot to annihilate Vatican City using destructive antimatter. Like the novel, the movie uses the idea of a historical conflict between science and religion, particularly that between the Illuminati and the Roman Catholic Church.

Following the death of the Pope, a destructive antimatter is stolen from CERN (the world’s largest particle physics laboratory located in Geneva, Switzerland) and one of the scientists murdered. The Vatican then receives a threat from a group calling itself the Illuminati (a former secret society that consisted of European freethinkers that supported new scientific discoveries, despite the Catholic Church’s opposition), which claims it will destroy the Vatican using the stolen antimatter. The Church summons both Robert Langdon and CERN scientist Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer) to prevent the Illuminati from carrying out its threat in less than 24 hours. During their time at the Vatican, both Langdon and Vittoria encounter some degree of hostility – mainly from Commander Richter, head of the Swiss Guard (Stellan Skarsgård).

”ANGELS AND DEMONS” can boast solid performances from a first-rate cast. There were no bad performances that I could spot. On the other hand, not one member of the cast gave what I would consider an exceptional performance – not even top-notch talents like Hanks, Skarsgård or Ewan McGregor, who portrayed the Vatican’s the Camerlengo, Patrick McKenna. The more I try to think of an exceptional performance in this film, the more difficult it was for me to achieve this goal. However, I must admit that I found Rance Howard’s appearance as one of the Cardinals voting for a new Pope rather out of place. Other than his appearance, everyone seemed . . . solid.

And if I must be frank, I might as well say the same about the movie. Some have claimed that the screenplay had failed to follow the novel very closely. I say . . . who cares? I am not a fan of Dan Brown’s novel. It bored me so much that I did not even bother to finish it. The only reason I had bothered to go see the movie was due to my hope that like ”THE DaVINCI CODE”, it would be an improvement over the novel. Thankfully, Ron Howard’s direction, along with the screenplay written by David Koepp and Akiva Goldsman improved the story immensely. Well, the parts I had read. Like the novel’s beginning. 

I can see that it would be futile to compare the entire novel to the entire film. Especially since I never bothered to finish the novel. But . . . I must admit that I did enjoy the film. Langdon and Vittoria’s efforts to stop the group from killing four Vatican cardinals and destroying the Vatican managed to maintain my interest. I was especially impressed by Howard’s direction of the sequences that featured Langdon and the Swiss Guard’s Lieutenant Chartrand (Thure Lindhardt) being trapped in the Vatican’s increasingly airless archives; Langdon and Inspector Ernesto Olivetti’s (Pierfrancesco Favino) attempts to save one of the kidnapped cardinals suspended above a roaring fire inside the Santa Maria della Vittoria Basilica; and the efforts of Langdon, Vittoria, Chartrand and Father McKenna to find the antimatter and prevent it from blowing up.

If a moviegoer is looking for an exceptional movie this summer, ”ANGELS AND DEMONS” is not the right flick. Well . . . to be honest, I have yet to see an exceptional film this year. But I rather enjoyed ”ANGELS AND DEMONS”. It was a solid and entertaining thriller filled with good performances, first-rate action, great location photography of Rome and a pretty good solid story. If you simply want to be entertained, I highly recommend this movie.

“SPEED RACER” (2008) Review

“SPEED RACER” (2008) Review

When I first saw the trailer for “SPEED RACER” . . . I had simply cringed in my seat. Granted, I had been a fan of the Japanese cartoon when I was a kid. But looking at that trailer, my mind simply cried, “Hell no!” There was no way in the world I was going to see this movie. 

But the more I saw the trailer, old memories of the cartoon kept welling in my thoughts. Soon, I found myself filled with nostalgia for the cartoon. I eventually decided to go see the movie after all. It might turn out to be a pile of crap, but I had to exorcise the ghosts of my childhood. Well . . . I went ahead and saw the movie. And I must say that it turned out to be a hell of a lot better than I had expected.

At a running time of two hours and fifteen minutes, “SPEED RACER” is about a young 18 year-old American (Emile Hirsch) with natural racing instincts. His goal is to become a world-class car racer, in the wake of the tragic death of his older brother, Rex Racer (Scott Porter) during the Casa Cristo, a cross-country rally. Speed is loyal to the family business, run by his parents Pops (John Goodman) and Mom (Susan Sarandon). Pops designed Speed’s car, the Mach 5. The owner of Royalton Industries (Roger Allam) makes Speed a lucrative offer to join the company’s racing team, but Speed rejects the offer, angering the owner. Speed also uncovers a secret that top corporate interests, including Royalton, are fixing races and cheating to gain profit. After Speed denies his offer to join his racing conglomerate, Royalton wants to ensure that Speed will not win any future races. Speed finds support from his parents and his girlfriend Trixie (Christina Ricci) and enters the Casa Cristo Rally in a partnership with his one-time rival, Racer X (Matthew Fox), in an effort to rescue his family’s business and the racing sport itself.

I must admit that when I first saw this movie, the first ten minutes had left me puzzled. Although I enjoyed how the story introduced Speed Racer’s obssession with racing and the death of his older brother, Rex Racer; I must admit that I had been taken aback by the movie’s visuals. It looked very cartoonish and I have not seen such bold colors since Warren Beatty’s 1990 film, “DICK TRACY”. But my mind adjusted to this new visual style and proceeded to enjoy the rest of the story. In fact, by the time the movie focused upon The Casa Cristo cross-country race, I found myself marveling over John Gaeta’s visual effects and David Tattersall’s photography. Quite frankly, I also ended up enjoying Larry and Andy Wachowski’s screenplay. “SPEED RACER” must be one of the few movies based upon a cartoon that possessed a strong social message – namely one against corporations’ involvment in the sport. And I found it pleasantly surprising.

As for the cast, Emile Hirsch struck me as a little flat at first. But in the scene in which Speed rejected Royalton’s offer, Hirsch’s Speed Racer finally bloomed into life. Christina Ricci gave a fun and charming performance as Trixie, Speed’s girlfriend. Both John Goodman and Susan Sarandon were solid as Speed’s parents. And I do not think that Matthew Fox had never been as sexy and enigmatic as he was as Racer X – Speed’s rival and ally in the fight against Royalton. I especially enjoyed his fight against a ninja assassin. Richard Roundtree gave a surprisingly sly and funny performance as Ben Burns, a former racer who became a commentator. To my surprise, Roger Allam’s slightly bombastic performance as the corrupt Royalton did not bother me at all. In fact, his character’s over-the-top personality seemed perfect for the movie. The biggest surprise turned out to be Paulie Litt as Spritle, the youngest Racer sibling. Perhaps I should not have been surprised. Regis Philbin once described the young television actor as a 40 year-old in a child’s body. Perhaps he is right. But young Paulie was a bundle of energy with great comic timing.

“SPEED RACER” did possess a few imperfections. Either the movie is fifteen minutes too long or its pacing had dropped off a bit, following the Casa Cristo race sequence. And I was a little annoyed with the Wachowski Brothers’ interruption of the fascinating sequence between Speed and Royalton’s discussion about the racing scene with comic moments of Spritle and his pet monkey, Chin Chin, trying to break into the businessman’s candy storage. It just seemed out of place and it nearly ruined the marvelous scene between Speed and Royalton.

Judging from some of the reviews I had read, it seems many film critics had disliked the film. I suspect that “SPEED RACER”’s unusual visuals may have been a little too mind blowing for them. Unfortunately, a good number of moviegoers ended up paying attention to those critics. Which is a shame, in my opinion. I feel that “SPEED RACER” is one of the most entertaining films I have seen this year . . . hell, in the past decade; and one of the most unusual I have seen in a long time. And it was a shame that it bombed at the box office.  Considering many moviegoers’ recent habit of avoiding anything unusual, perhaps I should not have been surprised.  But I was disappointed.  An unusual movie such as “SPEED RACER”  deserved success.  At least I think so.

Double Reviews: “PUSH” and “THE INTERNATIONAL” (2009)

Below are reviews of two movies I have recently seen – ”PUSH”, which stars Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning and Djimon Hounsou; and ”THE INTERNATIONAL”, starring Clive Owen and Naomi Watts:

Double Reviews: “PUSH” and “THE INTERNATIONAL” (2009)

”PUSH”

Directed by Paul McGuigan, this science-fiction thriller is about a group of psychic people who band together to stop a government agency from using a dangerous drug to enhance the abilities of other psychics. Hmmmm. I could go into detail about the movie’s plot, but that is all I am willing to disclose. Quite frankly, there were times I found the story rather convoluted and confusing, despite Dakota Fanning’s narration. I do know that Dakota’s character – a seer (or Watcher) named Cassie Holmes – seeks the help of Nick Gant, a telekinetic (or Mover), to get her hands on the drug that has already been used successfully on Nick’s old girlfriend, a telepath or Pusher (Camilla Belle), in order to use as a bargaining tool to get her mother – another Watcher – out of prison.

”PUSH” featured some first-class visual effects supervised by Mark Meddings. And it can also boast some solid performances – especially by Fanning as Cassie and Djimon Hounsou as Agent Henry Carver of “Division”, Nick and Cassie’s intelligent and relentless nemesis. But David Bourla’s convoluted script nearly made it impossible for me to truly enjoy this film.

”THE INTERNATIONAL”

Clive Owen and Naomi Watts star in this political thriller about an Interpol agent and a Manhattan Assistant District Attorney’s investigation into the illegal activities of a corrupt international bank. Directed by Tom Tykwer, ”THE INTERNATIONAL” was inspired by the 1991 Bank of Credit and Commerce International banking scandal. I would not exactly call this the best political thriller I have ever seen. One reviewer had claimed that this movie seemed more like the middle of a trilogy, instead of a stand-alone film. Quite frankly, I can see his point. The movie began with the investigation already in process and ended on a very vague note. The best thing about ”THE INTERNATIONAL” was the gunfight in Manhattan’s Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, bloody enough to rival the famous shoot-out in 1995’s ”HEAT”.

The movie boasts some first-class performances by a solid cast. I was especially impressed by Owen’s passionate portrayal of the relentless Interpol agent Louis Salinger. Although, I must admit that I was not impressed by his common intelligence. Especially by the end of the film. And I found Armin Mueller-Stahl’s performance as Wilhelm Wexler, an ex-Stasi agent turned troubleshooter for IBBC, rather intriguing. Although I found his desire to assist Salinger in the latter’s takedown of the IBBC a bit rushed. Despite a slight dissatisfaction with the movie’s ending, I found ”THE INTERNATIONAL” somewhat entertaining.

“Neighbors” [PG] – 10/11

“NEIGHBORS”

Part 10

The following morning saw Olivia among the first in her squad to report for work. However, there seemed to be one person who had already arrived. Namely Darryl Morris. 

“Good morning!” she greeted her colleague with a cheerful smile. “You’re bright and early, for once.” Olivia knew that Darryl had never been considered an early bird in their squad. Which meant he wanted to speak with her. She smirked. “Oh, oh! You must have been waiting for me.”

Darryl placed a sheet of paper on Olivia’s desk. “That’s right, I have.”

“What’s this?” Olivia picked up the sheet of paper.

“A report from a patrolman. I found it in Thompson’s out-box before I went home, last night. Apparently, he and his partner were driving along Bayshore Drive, when they saw unusual lights from the Tower Bay warehouse. When they went to investigate, Thompson and his partner heard more sounds of explosions and a scream. You know, that sort of thing.”

Green eyes widened. “Really?”

Darryl rolled his eyes. “Yes, really. When Thompson checked inside the warehouse, he and his partner found nothing.” He paused dramatically. “Except for a scorch mark on the east wall.” A sigh left Darryl’s mouth. “Now, I’m glad that you’re all safe. Or else you wouldn’t be here, smiling like a cat with canaries in her mouth. I just . . .” Both he and Olivia spotted a clerk entered the squad room. “I just want to know what happened.”

Olivia glanced at the newcomer. She sat on the chair behind her desk. “If you must know, we got rid of the warlocks.”

“You and the Charmed Ones?”

A loud scoff escaped from Olivia’s mouth. “No, actually it was my brother Harry, Cole Turner, and me.”

“What happened to . . .?” A knowing look creased Darryl’s face. “Wait. Don’t tell me. You had to rescue the Halliwells.”

Olivia sighed. “I’m afraid so. It’s a good thing that Harry was able to read Phoebe’s premonition. He’s telepathic.”

Darryl shook his head. “Please. Don’t tell me. I don’t wanna know anymore than I do.”

“But I thought you wanted to know everything.”

Darryl shot back, “I wanted to know what happened inside that warehouse. Not about your brother.”

A tall figure strode into the squad room. It belonged to their supervisor, Captain McPherson. He glanced at the two inspectors. “Morris, McNeill, I’m glad to see you both here. See me in my office. In five minutes.” The he continued on toward his office.

The two friends glanced at each other. “What was that about?” Olivia asked.

“You got me,” Darryl said as he shrugged. “Getting back to the subject, you say that Cole helped you rescue the Halliwells? I guess this will finally put him back in Phoebe’s good graces.”

Darryl’s words hit Olivia like a punch in the gut. “Oh. I never thought about that.” Nor did she really want to.

* * * *

The telephone rang three times before a voice on the other end of the receiver announced, “Hello?”

Phoebe took a deep breath. “Cole?”

A pause followed. Then, “Phoebe? Is that you?”

“Yeah.”

Cole’s voice hesitated. “Uh, is there something wrong? Why did you call?”

Now it was Phoebe’s turn to hesitate. Why could she say? Cole called out her name again. “Phoebe? Are you there?”

She sighed. “Yeah. I . . . uh, I just wanted to thank you, again. For saving us from those warlocks.”

“You’re welcome. Although I wouldn’t have been able to do it without Olivia or Harry’s help.”

Phoebe grunted. “Yeah. Well . . . with or without their help, thanks.”

Silence greeted Phoebe’s last words. Then Cole said, “Was there any other reason why you called?” Phoebe thought she heard hope in his voice.

Was there another reason? Why was she calling him anyway? To reunite with him? It was the last thing she wanted. After all of the trauma over the Source, Phoebe realized that she could not deal with the uncertainly of Cole turning evil again. Not while he possessed those powers he had received from the Wasteland. But she could not say so over the telephone. Besides, Cole knew how she felt.

Phoebe took a deep breath. “No. I just wanted to say thanks. Again.”

“You’re welcome.” Cole’s voice now sounded flat. “Good-bye Phoebe.”

The telephone receiver went dead. Phoebe whispered, “Good-bye.” And she hung up the telephone.

“Who was that?” a cheerful Paige asked, as she and Piper entered the Solarium.

Phoebe murmured, “Cole.”

Her sisters’ expressions sobered at the mention of her ex-husband. Especially Paige’s. Piper’s eyes also radiated concern. “Oh? What did he want?” She sat down on the sofa, next to Phoebe.

“He didn’t call. I did.”

Paige demanded, “And why did you do that?”

“This has nothing to do with yesterday, does it?” Piper asked, shooting the youngest with a quick glare.

Phoebe took a deep breath. “Well, I figured that he deserved a thank you for saving us from those warlocks. After all, we practically ignored him, yesterday.”

The other two Halliwells looked slightly abashed. Piper spoke up. “Maybe we did seem a little ungrateful. But Phoebe, are you sure there’s nothing more to your phone call?”

“Like what?” Phoebe warily asked.

Piper glanced at Paige, who shrugged. The former continued, “Like Cole . . . and Olivia McNeill.” Piper paused. “And the way they sort of . . . well, smiled at each other. Maybe you don’t like the idea of Cole becoming close with another woman.”

Paige added, “Yeah. Especially with Olivia. Heck, they almost seemed like kindred spirits.”

“Paige!” Piper’s eyes flashed with irritation. “Could you please not . . .?”

But the youngest Halliwell continued on with her usual bluntness. “What? I mean, we all noticed! I know I did. And Phoebe? Don’t take this the wrong way, but maybe this is a sign that you and Cole aren’t simply made to be together. Maybe it’s time to move on, like you keep telling him.”

Once more, Piper admonished Paige. But the latter’s words further twist the knife Phoebe has been feeling in her gut, since yesterday evening. As she struggled to overcome her quixotic feelings about Cole, she asked in a trembling voice, “Where’s Leo? I haven’t seen him since yesterday morning.”

“Meeting with the bosses, I suppose,” Piper muttered. The moment she had spoken, her husband appeared in his familiar sea of blue lights. “Oh! Speak of the devil.”

Leo planted a light kiss on Piper’s forehead. “I don’t know if I like the idea of being referred to as a devil.”

“Where have you been?” Piper demanded.

Leo replied, “Sorry, but I was with a charge in London.”

“London? Cool!” Paige expressed excitement.

“Yeah. And I was also with the Elders. They’re very relieved that the Crozat Coven was prevented from becoming the major power in the Underworld. They were pretty powerful, you know. And large.”

Piper caustically remarked, “Shouldn’t you be at Olivia McNeill’s apartment, telling all her this? After all, she was the one responsible for stopping them.”

“Oh. Well, yeah. I had also heard about that,” Leo added. “That’s why I plan to see her, this evening.”

Ever since she saw the red-haired witch in action, Phoebe had a question in her mind. “Speaking of Olivia, remember when you told us about her powers? Well, exactly how strong is she? I mean, you should have seen her, Leo. Not even Prue’s telekinesis was that strong.”

“That’s because Prue’s power had not been fully developed when she died,” Leo replied. “And Olivia has been developing her power for a longer period of time. Come to think of it, she still isn’t fully developed yet. The same goes for Bruce and Harry.”

Piper stared at her husband in shock. “You’ve got to be kidding! Both she and Harry were like super witches! Or something like that.”

Leo gave his wife what looked like a chastising stare. “That’s because they both took the time to not only control their powers, but to also develop them.” Piper rolled her eyes. “Besides, like I said before, all of you are only slightly more powerful than the McNeills. And I do mean slightly.” Leo hesitated. “Only as the Power of Three, I mean. And there’s also the prophecy.”

Phoebe and the other Charmed Ones frowned at their whitelighter. “Prophecy? What are you talking about?” Phoebe asked.

The whitelighter paused. He seemed very reluctant to continue.

“Come on, Leo! Give,” Phoebe argued. “The genie is already out of the bottle.”

After a heartfelt sigh, Leo finally continued, “There’s a rumor about a prophecy that concerns both the Warren and McNeill lines. It’s rumored that both lines will eventually come together in marriage and produce the most powerful magical being ever.”

“What are you talking about?” Paige demanded. “I thought we were supposed to be the most powerful witches, ever.”

“I said the most powerful magical being, not witch.”

Leo’s words reminded Phoebe of the Seer. The former demon had once revealed that if she and Cole – when he was the Source – had been married by a regular priest or minister, their baby would have been a powerful force of good. Phoebe still doubted the Seer’s words. She simply could not comprehend the idea of a witch and a demon producing such a child. Not while there was the demonic element to consider.

“So, does anyone have an idea which one of us will help bring about this prophecy?” Paige asked, interrupting Phoebe’s thoughts.

Leo shrugged. “Who knows?”

“Speaking of the McNeills . . .” Piper raced out of the room, perplexing her sisters and husband. A few minutes later, she returned, holding a cake encased inside a plastic covering. “This is Grams’ famous Coconut cake. Sort of a peace offering to old Mrs. McNeill for what happened on Sunday. Since you’ll be seeing Olivia, could you give it to her, so she can give it to her grandmother?” Piper handed the cake to Leo.

Who handed the cake back to Piper. “Why don’t you give it to Mrs. McNeill, herself? We can stop by the McNeill manor after we see Olivia. Shouldn’t you all present this cake to Mrs. McNeill? In person?”

The three sisters exchanged long-suffering looks. Eating crow has never been a Halliwell forte.

END OF PART 10

“INFAMOUS” (2006) Review

 

“INFAMOUS” (2006) Review

I have heard a lot about the two movie biographies based upon Truman Capote’s experiences while working on his famous non-fiction novel, “In Cold Blood” – “CAPOTE” and “INFAMOUS”. I have watched them both, but have decided to discuss the second one . . . namely “INFAMOUS”, which was written and directed by Douglas McGrath. Although I could never compare the two movies, I might as talk about the one that featured British actor Toby Jones, as the diminutive writer.

To be honest, I did not know what to expect of “INFAMOUS”. Since it was the second Capote movie to be released, it failed to garner any prestigious critic awards or nominations – aside from an Independent Spirit Best Supporting Actor nod for Daniel Craig, who played one of the Clutters’ murderers, Perry Smith. After watching the movie, I found myself wondering why Toby Jones had failed to earn his own nomination. The man’s complex portrayal of Capote seemed all at once witty, sharp, manipulative, vulnerable and rather sad. In all, it was a brilliant performance. He seemed to revel in Capote’s legendary flamboyant wit and charm in all its glory. One of Jones’ funniest scenes involved Capote’s snappy repartees to prison inmates shouting lewd propositions at him, during his first visit to the prison. Yet at the same time, Jones also revealed the author’s talent for cold-blooded deception and manipulation, which he used to gain the trust of his New York friends, along with the citizens of Holcomb and the two killers, whose anecdotes he needed to complete his book. This talent for drawing out secrets . . . and disclosing them not only attracted the suspicion of Perry Smith, but also got Capote in hot water with his “swans” in the mid-1970s, thanks to an unpublished manuscript of his book, “Answered Prayers”. A few chapters managed to end up in the New York magazine, “Esquire”. But what is more interesting about Jones’ performance in the movie is that his experiences in Kansas ended up peeling away Capote’s flamboyant façade, forcing him to face the pain and sorrow created by an unhappy childhood.

Ironically, it was Capote’s encounters with convicted murderer, Perry Smith, which forced the author to face his personal demons. What can I say about Daniel Craig’s performance? Other than the British actor not only deserved his Independent Spirit Award nomination, but like Jones, he also deserved both a Golden Globe and Academy Award nomination. His Perry Smith was a brooding, quiet man who projected vulnerability, intelligence and brutal menace. It was easy to see how Capote and Smith had developed a close relationship. Both shared a taste for intellectual and artistic pursuits that allowed them to hide from unhappy childhoods that included suicidal mothers. Both actors created an dynamic screen chemistry through two contrasting personalities that seemed to share similar childhood experiences. Craig brilliantly projected Smith’s varying personalities in two scenes – one in which he expressed polite distaste at Capote’s gift of pornographic magazines; and in another, his terrifying anger at the “In Cold Blood” title, which led to a threat of rape of the author.

“INFAMOUS” could boast a first-class supporting cast led by Sandra Bullock, who portrayed Capote’s close friend and fellow author, Harper Lee (“To Kill a Mockingbird”). Many critics seemed surprised by Bullock’s excellent portrayal of the warm and wryly amused Alabama author. Apparently, they must have been deluded by some belief that Bullock was only capable of light comedy. The actress was given to showcase her dramatic chops in one “documentary” interview scene in which she expressed Lee’s bitter anger at the public’s demand for an endless supply of entertainment by talented artists. I also enjoyed Jeff Daniels’ wry and sardonic portrayal of the Kansas Bureau Investigations officer in charge of the Clutter case, whose family eventually befriended Capote. His performance was highlighted in a favorite scene of mine that featured the development of Capote and Dewey’s friendship over an arm wrestling match.

Lee Pace portrayed Dick Hickock, Smith’s partner and the alleged brains behind the attempt to rob the Clutters. I found his performance rather humorous and gregarious, yet there were times it threatened to be a touch frantic. Since “INFAMOUS” gave the audience a wide glimpse into Capote’s New York lifestyle, the movie also included his circle of “swans”, whom he developed a close relationship until his disclosure of their secrets in the mid-70s. Those “swans” included Babe Paley (Sigourney Weaver) – the wife of CBS baron Bill Paley; Diana Vreeland (Juliet Stevenson), the fashion magazine editor; Slim Keith (Hope Davis), the woman who was married to Howard Hawks and Leland Hayward; and Marella Agnelli (Isabella Rossellini), Italian-American princess who became a furniture designer and tastemaker. Also included in that group were publisher Bennett Cerf (Peter Bogdanovich), novelist and Capote’s rival Gore Vidal (Michael Panes). I was especially amused by Stevenson’s humorous portrayal of the vivacious Vreeland, who seemed proud of her own eccentric nature and appreciative of Capote’s attitude toward it.

Some reviews have criticized McGrath’s tendency to switch the movie’s setting between Capote’s glittering New York world and the somber atmosphere of Holcomb, Kansas. I understood why he did it. Both settings seemed like metaphors for the writer’s contrasting psyche during those six years he worked on “In Cold Blood”. It started out with a glittering night with Capote and Babe Paley at the El Morocco nightclub (with a sultry Gwenyth Paltrow singing “What Is This Thing Called Love”) and ended with Capote unable to keep the dark memories of Kansas out of his mind. In fact, once Capote had finally set eyes upon Smith, Holcomb’s bleak setting slowly threatened to puncture the frivolous façade he had created, whenever he was in New York. The emotional cost from the book and his relationship with Smith resulted in his inability to write his next book – “Answered Prayers”, as shown in the movie’s final scene.

The only problems I had with “INFAMOUS” were “documentary” interviews shown during the movie’s first half-hour. Frankly, I believe that the movie could have started out with these interviews, before segueing into the story. And aside from Capote’s tour of the Clutters’ home, I found the sequence featuring his interviews with some of Holcomb’s citizens a little dull and hard to watch. Fortunately, the arrival of Smith and Hickcock ended the dull sequence and from there, my interest in the movie remained constant until the end.

Whether you are a fan of the Philip Seymour Hoffman film, “CAPOTE”, I do recommend that you watch “INFAMOUS” . . . or at least give it a chance. Hopefully, you will discover that in its own way, it is just as fascinating as the 2005 Oscar-winning film.

9/10 stars

“INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULLS” (2008) Review

“INDIANA JONES and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” (2008) Review

As much as I enjoyed this latest installment of the INDIANA JONES saga - ”Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” – I had found myself perplexed by it. There was something about the movie’s tone that failed to strike a chord similar to the past three movies. It took a second viewing of the movie for me to understand that it had a lot to do with its setting. 

”INDIANA JONES and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” is set in 1957, in which Colonel-Doctor Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett) leads a convoy of Soviet troops, dressed as American soldiers on a mission to infiltrate a military base in the Nevada desert called “Hangar 51″. Spalko and her men force Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) to lead them to a crate holding the remains of an extraterrestrial creature that crashed ten years before in Roswell, New Mexico. When Jones attempts to escape, he is foiled by his old partner, George “Mac” McHale (Ray Winstone), who reveals that he is working with the Soviets. Jones then escapes on a rocket sled into the desert, where he stumbles upon a nuclear test town and survives a nuclear blast by hiding in a lead-lined refrigerator. While being debriefed, Jones discovers he is under FBI investigation because his friend Mac is a Soviet agent. Jones returns to Marshall College, where he is offered a leave of absence to avoid being fired because of the investigation. As he is leaving, Jones is stopped by Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf) and told that his old colleague, Harold Oxley (John Hurt), disappeared after discovering a crystal skull in Peru.

Like ”LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD” of last year, I had harbored some serious doubts on whether George Lucas and Steven Spielberg could relive the old magic of their previous three Indiana Jones adventures of the 1980s. Needless to say, my fears proved to be groundless. Like the Bruce Willis “DIE HARD” movie, this fourth installment ended up being very entertaining. And although it had some of the old magic of ”RAIDERS”, ”TEMPLE OF DOOM” and ”LAST CRUSADE”, it had a tone that made it different from the other three. It took a movie review by someone named Lazypadawan and a second viewing of the movie to not only notice the difference, but to eventually appreciate it.

The main problem I originally had with ”CRYSTAL SKULL” was the presence of a spaceship at the end of the story. The City of Gold that Indy, Spalko, Oxley and others wanted to find, ended up with something to do with . . . an inter-dimensional beings. One might as well call them aliens, judging by their look. This is something that has never been seen in an Indiana Jones film before. And of course it has not. The other three movies had been set in the 1930s. It would be only natural that they had a feel of a 30s B-serial adventure. But I made the mistake of expecting a 1930s serial adventure in a story set in the late 1950s. What I should have realized – and what Lazypadawan had pointed out in her review – was that ”KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL” was not supposed to be a 30s serial adventure set in the 1950s. It was supposed to be a send up of the 1950s “B” movies. And what are the elements of a “B” movie from the 1950s? Here are just a few:

*atomic power
*the presence of Soviet troops or spies
*science fiction
*horror
*hybrid of science fiction and horror
*conflicts between biker hoods and high school/college jocks
*the “Red” scare
*Soviet (and American) interests in psychic paranormal activities and UFOs

”KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL” had most, if not all elements in the film. I had just read a review in which someone had complained that the movie seemed like a “rip-off” of a cheesy B-movie. I had made that same mistake when I saw the spaceship sequence near the end of the movie. But now I know better. Lucas and Spielberg had every intention of the movie being a “rip-off” of 1950s B-movies. Like I had said before, it would only make sense.

Someone else had mentioned that Harrison Ford had not seemed this animated in years. I am not surprised. Indiana Jones had always been amongst his favorite characters. And it really showed in his performance. It is also nice to see that after 27 years, his chemistry with Karen Allen (Marion Ravenwood) seemed as strong as ever. By the way, she was great. And I was very impressed by Shia LaBeouf as Marion and Indy’s love child – Mutt Williams aka Henry Jones III. As much as I liked his performance in ”TRANSFORMERS”, I have always thought it seemed a bit too frantic for my tastes. I much preferred his role as Henry III (I’m sorry, but I can barely bring myself to say – let alone write – “Mutt”). LaBeouf managed to convey a strong screen presence that matched Ford, without resorting to the frantic acting he had utilized in “TRANSFORMERS”.

Like Ford, I could tell that Cate Blanchett really enjoyed her role as the villainous Soviet Colonel-Doctor Spalko. She was as obsessive and ruthless as the past Indy villains. But Blanchett’s performance had a verve and theatricality I have not seen since Amrish Puri’s portrayal of Mola Ram in ”THE TEMPLE OF DOOM”. And John Hurt filled Denholm Elliot’s role as friend/mentor of the Jones family quite beautifully. But unlike Marcus Brody, Harold Oxley had a good reason for his loopy behavior. I also enjoyed Ray Winstone’s performance as Indy’s treacherous old friend and colleague, McHale. In a way, he reminded me of the Elsa Schneider character in “LAST CRUSADE”. But as much as I like Alison Doody, I must say that Winstone’s take on a very morally ambiguous character had been handled with more skill.

Is there anything about ”KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL” that I disliked? Well, I was not impressed by John Williams’ score. There was nothing original or memorable about it, aside from moments of the old Indy theme being rehashed. Rather disappointing. Nor was I fond of the movie’s heavy-handed style of action and special effects. However, I could honestly complain about the same about the other three films. But the one thing that really irritated me was the sequence featuring the villain’s defeat/destruction. In the end, it was not Indy who had defeated the villain or set her destruction in motion. It was the inter-dimensional being. In other words, Indy became nothing more than a passive bystander of the villain’s defeat. This is the one major fault I have noticed in two other Indiana Jones films. And it gave those films – at least in my eyes – an anticlimatic feeling that I found disappointing. In ”RAIDERS”, the opening of the Ark of the Covenant set in motion Belloq and the Nazis’ deaths. Both Indy and Marion were tied to a pole, unable to do anything except keep their eyes closed. In ”THE LAST CRUSADE”, Elsa Schneider turned out to be responsible for the main villain’s death and the destruction of his men through her handling of the Grail Cup. Perhaps Lucas and Spielberg were trying to convey some message about humans being too arrogant to take heed of things/beings that are more powerful or more evolved than mankind. But that same message had also been conveyed in ”TEMPLE OF DOOM”. Only in that particular movie, Indy’s action – namely invoking the power of Shiva with the Sanakara stone – did lead to the villain Mola Ram’s destruction. Perhaps this is why I have always found the 1984 movie’s finale a lot more impressive than those of the other three movies.

But despite my initial confusion on what Lucas and Spielberg were doing with the movie’s 1950s theme, along with my disappointment of the score and the handling of the villain’s defeat, I found ”KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL” to be very enjoyable. It was great to see Indiana Jones back in action, again. And even more satisfying was his marriage to his lady love, Marion Ravenwood, in the end. After 30 odd years, those two finally got it right.

“The Love Triangle From Hell”

”THE LOVE TRIANGLE FROM HELL”

Now that the James “Sawyer” Ford/Juliet Burke romance has ended with a blast in “The Incident”, fans of “LOST” are once again speculating on whom Kate Austen will choose for her permanent mate by the end of the series – James or Dr. Jack Shephard. Honestly? I no longer care. And right now, I am beginning to wonder if I ever did. 

As much as I disliked Kate, I used to believe that she was better off with Sawyer. He seemed more like an equal partner than someone who would look down upon her . . . like Dr. Shephard. Then I remembered. Jack have a bad habit of treating Kate as a wayward child. How many times have viewers seen him vent his anger or frustrations upon her, treating her as someone beneath him? Then again, Jack also had a bad habit of being a pushover for Kate’s schemes and lies. After all, she did managed to manipulate him into opening the U.S. Marshal’s case in ”Whatever the Case May Be”, despite his anger at her lies. Even worse, he allowed himself to be manipulated into supporting her lie that she was Aaron Littleton’s mother. 

I had figured that at least Sawyer would never have been stupid enough to be manipulated by an obvious liar like Kate. Looking back on their relationship, I realized I was wrong. Yes, Sawyer would have allowed himself to be manipulated by Kate. And he would have done so with his eyes wide open. Why? Because like Jack, he was stupid enough to do anything for her. He pretty much made that clear in ”The Hunting Party” and in one of the late Season 3 episodes, when they were sleeping together. Even Sawyer has used Kate . . . in his scheme to assume control of the castaways’ guns in ”The Long Con”. He used her to plant a suspicion about Ana-Lucia Cortez in order to distract everyone from his own scheme. But that was a rare occasion. Before Season 5, Sawyer allowed to use him. Especially for sex. What was even more pathetic about their Season 3 affair was that Kate was using him as rebound over her jealousy toward Jack’s new friendship with Juliet. Sawyer knew it and made the choice to be her bed warmer anyway. Moron. 

Most Sawyer/Kate fans would see nothing wrong with this, arguing that Sawyer was a grown man who had made his own choice. Well, the Jack/Kate fans can say the same about Jack’s choices. After all, he did commit perjury at Kate’s trial to support her lies about her relationship with Aaron and to continue his own lies about her activities on the island, following their return to the States. And Jack finally did cave in to Kate’s ultimatum after their return to the States that he would be allowed to share her bed – only if he agreed to act as Aaron’s father. Thinking below his belt, Jack caved in to Kate’s demands, until his guilt over their lies led to a fight between them and his abandonment of Kate and Aaron. But it did not take him very long to help her keep custody of Aaron . . . even when the three year-old’s grandmother was in Los Angeles for business regarding her daughter’s death and Oceanic Airlines.

This also brings me to Juliet Burke. Jack had used her back in Season 3 and most of Season 4 to hide his own discovery of Kate and Sawyer’s sexual encounter in the Others’ cages. I think that Jack liked her a lot, but he was never in love with her. Yet, that did not stop him from using her. And I suspect that Sawyer did the same in Season 5. When I noticed Sawyer and Juliet’s interactions between each other in the first eight episodes of that season, I thought they made a first-rate pair and was happy to see their romance confirmed in ”La Fleur”. But recalling Sawyer’s reaction to seeing Kate again after three years at the end of that particular episode and the silent exchange that Juliet had witnessed in ”The Incident”, I now suspect that Sawyer may have used her as rebound for being apart from Kate during those three years. After all, it was Sawyer who had convinced Juliet to remain on the island, claiming that he needed her company. Perhaps he did. But if he really did love Kate more, I have nothing but contempt toward him for using Juliet . . . just as much as I have contempt toward Jack for doing the same thing. And I think I would have been happier if Jack, Sawyer and Kate had ended up in that pit before everything had blown to sky high, instead of Juliet.

Most fans would have pointed out that the Terrible Trio should not deserve Juliet’s fiery death. After all, Jacob had interacted with Jack, Kate and Sawyer before the fateful crash of Oceanic Airline’s Flight 815 in September 2004. But you know what? That would not have been a substantial argument for me. Considering Jacob’s view of humanity, I consider him to be a fucking moron. And the fact that he had ”touched” Jack, Sawyer and Kate did not impress me one bit. I still believe that their asses should have been blown to hell. Instead, Cuse and Lindehof will continue one of the most badly written love triangles in television history into the last season of ”LOST”. But I can no longer tolerate watching two men whom I hardly have any respect for, fight over a worthless bitch like Kate. No wonder I can barely muster any further interest in this series.

“MOONRAKER” (1979) Review

“MOONRAKER” (1979) Review

Well, I just watched “MOONRAKER”. Today, it is considered to be one of the worst Bond movies of all times. It has been accused by fans and critics alike of taking the Bond franchise into a realm of tasteless excess and fantasy. I will not deny there are aspects of “MOONRAKER” that turned me off – including Bond’s final confrontation with the villain aboard the latter’s space station. But after watching it . . . I cannot honestly list “MOONRAKER” as one of my least favorite Bond films, let alone as one of the worst. Trust me, I have seen a lot worst.

Despite some similarities, the movie did not heavily adapt the 1955 novel. The movie kept the same villain – Hugo Drax. And it did involve rockets and space travel. Also, the villain’s intent did involve the destruction of a place – in the novel, the villain wanted to destroy London and in the movie, the human race on Earth. But . . . there were differences. Instead of a British policewoman named Gala Brand, the movie features an American CIA agent/NASA-trained astronaut named Dr. Holly Goodhead.

There were several aspects of “MOONRAKER” that made me want to wince. Now, I did not mind the boat/gondola chase in the Venetian canals, but watching Bond’s gondola turned into a land vehicle . . . yeah, it made me want to wince. Along with a few of Roger Moore’s lines. The fact that Jaws’ villainy (last seen in “THE SPY WHO LOVED ME”) came across as less menacing and more comic in this movie did not help. The double-take pigeon? I had barely noticed it. But the final battle between American astronauts and Drax’s men turned me off considerably. I felt as if I was watching a second-rate version of “STAR WARS” – blasters and all.

But “MOONRAKER” had its virtues. The movie’s production quality seemed to be among the best in the franchise, thanks to director Lewis Gilbert, and cinematographer, Jean Tournier. The movie took the audience from California to Venice, Brazil and finally outer space. Aside from the latter, the film’s photograph captured these setting beautifully. I especially enjoyed John Barry’s score, along with the movie’s theme song written by both Barry and lyricist Hal David, and sung by Shirley Bassey. Aside from a few cliché lines, I found nothing wrong with Roger Moore’s performance. He seemed to be at the top of his game. I was especially impressed by his take on Bond’s reaction to being nearly killed by Drax’s Astronaut Training Centrifuge. Michel Londsdale seemed smooth and villainous as the space-obsessed billionaire Hugo Drax. However, I was a little put off by having to deal with another megalomaniac out to destroy the world in order to rule the survivors. I find such storylines rather tiresome. But the rest of the cast seemed adequate.

I do have a few complaints about four cast members. Lois Chiles was in her early 30s and already a veteran of a few movies (“THE GREAT GATSBY” and “DEATH ON THE NILE” included) by the time she did “MOONRAKER”. As Dr. Holly Goodhead, she managed to physically project the image of a memorable Bond leading lady that happens to be a competent CIA agent and astronaut. But despite her experience, she did come off as slightly wooden. Actually, I could say the same for Corinne Clery as the doomed Corinne and Emily Bolton as the Brazilian agent, Manuela. “MOONRAKER” seemed to be filled with beautiful leading ladies with limited acting skills. I also had a problem with Richard Kiel. As I had stated before, he seemed less menacing and more comic than he did in “THE SPY WHO LOVED ME”. However, I was impressed by Kiel’s acting in one particular scene – when Bond convinces Jaws that Drax plans to exterminate him for his imperfections. Kiel had wonderfully captured Jaws’ confusion and growing realization that he might be betrayed and killed by his employer.

I had started watching “MOONRAKER” with the belief that I was about to experience one of the worst Bond movies in the franchise’s history. As it turned out, I was wrong. I think that Roger Moore had put it best when he said that “MOONRAKER” was not a bad movie . . . until it shifted to outer space and became a second-rate “STAR WARS”, which only occurred during the movie’s last half hour. This unfortunate shift of setting seemed to have influenced many of the franchise’s fans about the movie. Many seemed so focused upon the movie’s last half hour and other flaws that they seemed to have forgotten its virtues.

“TAKEN” (2009) Review

”TAKEN” (2009) Review

Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen wrote this tight thriller about a retired CIA agent who tracks down his daughter after she was kidnapped by Albanian criminals engaged in the sex slave traffic, while traveling in Europe. Directed by Pierre Morel, the movie stars Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen and Olivier Rabourdin.

Neeson stars as Bryan Mills, a divorced, former paramilitary officer from the CIA’s famed Special Activities Division. His 17-year-old daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) lives with his ex-wife Lenore (Famke Janssen) and her new wealthy husband Stuart (Xander Berkeley). After Kim accompanies her close friend, Amanda (Katie Cassidy) to Europe, they are kidnapped by sex trade traffickers from the apartment they share in Paris. Since Mills was talking to Kim at the time the kidnapping took place, he is able to get some information on who may have snatched her and Amanda before heading to Paris to track them down.

I am going to put my cards on the table. I enjoyed ”TAKEN” . . . a lot. It was a fast paced thriller filled with the usual stuff one can find in a top-notch action film – exciting car chases, tension, well choreographed fight scenes and sharp acting. I would not view it as an exceptional film. If I have to be honest, there is nothing new in this film that I have not seen in previous action thrillers. It also had its share of clichés that usually pop up in other action films. But I still enjoyed it. If there is one thing I must commend upon the movie is the level of global involvement in the sex slave traffic. Morel and screenwriters Besson and Kamen not only involved Kim’s Albanian kidnappers into the trade, but also French government officials and customers from all over the globe.

The cast did a pretty good job. But I was particularly impressed by four actors in particular. Olivier Rabourdin was surprisingly interesting as Jean-Claude – an old friend of Mills’ who also happens to be a former operative and now deputy director of the French intelligence agency. At first, I had assumed that Rabourdin would act as an ally who would help Mills in his search for his daughter. But thanks to Rabourdin’s performance, his role turned out to be surprisingly more ambiguous. I was also impressed by Famke Janssen’s performance as Mills’ ex-wife, Leonore. This was a different Janssen, who portrayed an uptight woman still harboring some residual of bitterness toward Mills and the way their marriage had ended. And I have to give kudos to Maggie Grace for effectively portraying a character that was at least seven to eight years her junior. Although I am certain that many actresses in their mid-twenties have portrayed a teenager, I have rarely come across many that were as convincing as Grace. She was excellent.

Liam Neeson must have been at least fifty-five years old when he filmed ”TAKEN”. Mind you, there have been other actors around his age or older who have managed to convincingly portray action characters. But his performance as Bryan Mills could give Jason Bourne or James Bond some stiff competition. Granted, his interactions with the various thugs and bodyguards almost made him seem unnaturally superhuman. But if one might as well accuse Matt Damon’s Bourne or Daniel Craig’s Bond of the same thing. Thankfully, Neeson’s Mills was more than just an above-average action hero. The Irish-born actor also infused his character with all of the emotional angst, paranoia and anger any father would face at the prospect of one’s child being snatched by strangers and placed into danger.

I do have one major complaint about ”TAKEN” – namely the photography and editing featured in the movie. Like ”THE BOURNE SUPREMACY”, ”THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM” and ”QUANTUM OF SOLACE” before it, ”TAKEN” is filled with that ”shaky camera” technique that I loathe so much. I realize that this technique was used to give a film an ad-hoc, news, or documentary feel. Frankly, I have never seen the need for to give action movies such as ”TAKEN” this type of style for action films, with the exception of movies based upon real life dramas or war movies. Thanks to director Morel, cinematographer Michel Abramowicz, and editor Frédéric Thoraval; the shaky camera technique only made me feel dizzy and frustrated. I am thankful that the fight scenes – especially in the film’s last twenty minutes – did not seem affected by this technique. However . . . Paul Greengrass, who directed the last two ”BOURNE” films, has a lot to answer for making this filming technique popular for action films.

In a nutshell, ”TAKEN” is not exactly what I would call an original film. It utilized many of the typical clichés used in action films. And the subject – the sex slave traffic – has been told with greater detail in such productions like 2005’s ”HUMAN TRAFFICKING”. And the shaky camera technique used by Morel, Abramowicz and Thoraval made it difficult for me to enjoy some of the actions scenes, especially those featuring car chases. But thanks to a first-rate cast led by Liam Neeson and Maggie Grace, solid direction by Morel and a straightforward script written by Besson and Kamen, ”TAKEN” is a tense, yet entertaining film that I found very satisfying. I enjoyed it so much that I might be inclined to go see it again.

“Neighbors” [PG] – 9/11

“NEIGHBORS”

Part 9

From inside the warlocks’ trap, Phoebe felt a familiar portent of impending doom. And her feeling had nothing to do with a premonition of any kind. But it felt hard to dismiss such feelings while a group of warlocks carrying athames watched and waited with evil intent on their faces.

Phoebe sighed. How she wished that she, Piper and Paige had heeded Olivia McNeill’s advice to stay away. It seemed ironic that within a period of six months, the Charmed Ones would find themselves in a trap similar to the one that the Seer had imprisoned them within. Only this time, they would not be able to deflect the warlocks’ attack. Especially since the latter planned to use a good old-fashioned stab fest to kill the sisters . . . after draining their power with this trap.

The dark-haired leader of the warlock coven raised his hand for some kind of action. Before he could do anything, a figure in black materialized beside him. Phoebe’s heart literally jumped with relief. It was Cole.

“What the . . .?” Crozat stared at Cole in shock. “Who the hell are you?”

Cole’s mouth stretched into a smirk. “What’s the matter, Crozat? Forgotten me, already?”

The warlock’s eyes grew wide. “Belthazor? But I thought you were dead!”

“Well, Belthazor is,” Cole coolly replied. “Have been for at least a year. I was even the Source for a while. Until I was killed.” He seared the Charmed Ones with a death glare. Phoebe shivered.

Crozat declared, “The Source? You were the Source? I had heard about a new Source, last spring. But he was vanquished by the Charmed Ones.”

“That’s right.” Cole continued to glare at the Halliwells. “But I survived. Ironically, thanks to my human side.” His eyes veered back to Crozat. “And I’m here to take back what’s mine.”

Crozat sneered. “Take back what? Your loving bride?”

Blue eyes that had once looked at Phoebe with love and passion, now regarded the warlock with icy rage. Crozat immediately assumed a more humble expression. “The only thing I want back is the Source’s power. And the only way I can achieve that is through their whitelighter.”

One of the warlocks cried out, “What a load of crap! He’s lying! How can a whitelighter help him become the Source? I say we kill him now! He’s just one daemon.” Before Phoebe could blink, Cole destroyed the dissenter with one quick fireball.

“Anyone else want to doubt my word?” Cole challenged. The warlocks remained silent.

Inside the trap, Paige whispered in a sarcastic tone, “I guess not. I see that Belthazor or maybe the Source is back. At least in spirit.”

“Paige!” Piper hissed. The younger woman remained silent.

Phoebe, however, remained silent, as she continued to listen in on the conversation outside the trap. A frowning Crozat added, “Gregor was right. How can a whitelighter help you become the Source again?”

Cole nonchantlantly replied, “Easy. The Charmed Ones’ whitelighter was the one who had hid the Grimoire. And whoever possesses it, can become the Source. I intend to get my hands on that Grimoire.”

“Leo destroyed the Grimoire, right?” a worried Paige asked.

Piper sighed. “Of course he did! He tossed it into a volcano.”

“But that doesn’t mean it was destroyed.”

Irritated by their chatter, Phoebe snapped at her sisters. “Hey you two! Can you please keep it down?”

“Why bother?” Paige retorted. “It’s plain that Cole wants to become the Source, again. At least he can’t use possession as an excuse, this time. I wonder how he plans to use Leo.”

Phoebe shot back, “Well, if you just keep quiet for one moment, we’ll find out!” Everyone fell silent and continued to listen to the conversation outside the trap.

“What makes you think the whitelighter will tell you where to find it?” Crozat asked. Phoebe assumed he was referring to the Grimoire.

Cole replied, “You’ve got the Charmed Ones. You can kill them and steal their powers. But not until I lure their whitelighter here and get him to retrieve the Grimoire for me. He’ll do anything to keep them alive. Especially his wife . . . who’s carrying his child.” Cole glanced at Piper. “He’s broken the rules for her, before.”

“Oh no!” Piper murmured to her sisters. “He’s not serious, is he?”

Before Phoebe could reply, she caught sight of a flash of red in front of the one of the warehouse’s windows. Red hair. Seconds later, her eyes adjusted to the sight of Olivia McNeill climbing through that window. The police inspector was followed by another redhead. Her brother, Harry McNeill. “Piper, Paige!” Phoebe hissed. “Look over there. Near the second window from the right. It’s Olivia and Harry McNeill.”

Piper frowned. “What are they doing here?”

“Isn’t it obvious? They’re here to help us. And Cole. He must be distracting the warlocks.”

A doubtful Paige added, “Are you sure? Maybe the good inspector found out about Cole.”

“Paige!” To Phoebe’s relief, the hard tone in her voice convinced Paige to keep quiet. The three sisters watched in silence, as the two McNeill siblings cautiously positioned themselves for an attack. Cole, however, continued his conversation with the warlock leader.

“. . . all a good story, Belthazor,” Crozat was saying. “But you haven’t told us how you plan to lure their whitelighter here.”

Casually, Cole turned his back on Crozat and glanced around. Then he gave the warlock a chilling smile. A smile that Phoebe found disturbing. “Simple,” he said. Then with a flick of his wrist, he vanquished another warlock.

The next thing Phoebe knew, all hell had broken loose. At least for the warlocks. While Cole continued to incinerate more warlocks, Olivia McNeill sent others flying across the room and into large crates and the walls. Others she knocked unconscious using martial arts skills that Phoebe could only envy. One warlock flung an athame toward her direction. Fortunately, she used her telekinesis to counter the attack and bury it into the warlock’s chest.

Harry McNeill, like his sister, used martial arts on the warlocks. And he used something else that Phoebe could not see. She saw him stare at a pair of warlocks. Who eventually stabbed themselves with their athames. And the realization finally hit Phoebe. “Of course! He’s a telepath!” she murmured. Subliminal suggestions.

Paige asked, “What did you say?”

“Harry McNeill. Didn’t you see him? He used his telepathic abilities to force those warlocks to kill themselves.”

Piper said, “Never mind that. I think this trap is weakening. See?” She pointed at the force shield and a hole immediately formed, thanks to her combustion power.

“Try it again,” Paige suggested. Which Piper did. A second hole appeared. “Maybe if you keep using your power, the trap will finally break.”

Piper retorted, “Are you kidding? I’m only punching holes in this thing!”

Phoebe added, “Maybe the only way for Piper to break free is for more warlocks to disappear. Remember, they’re using the combination of their powers to keep this trap intact.” She glanced at their saviors. To her relief, the McNeills and Cole were still alive. And kicking ass.

To Phoebe’s right, Harry dispatched more warlocks using his telepathy. One warlock managed to jump him from behind. Fortunately, Harry viciously elbowed the latter in the gut, before knocking him down with a well-placed blow to the face. Before the warlock could recover, Harry tossed a small vial at him, and the warlock disintegrated in a ball of flames.

A small group of warlocks suddenly formed a circle around Cole and Olivia, causing the latter to gasp. Cole disappeared out of sight. A second later, he reappeared behind one warlock and quickly snapped the latter’s neck. Then he reappeared behind another warlock. One quick twist and -snap- that warlock was dead.

A blond-haired female warlock in a security guard’s uniform threw an athame at Cole. Olivia used her telekinesis to redirect the weapon, sending it straight into the warlock’s throat. She flung another warlock against the wall, causing his back to make impact into a jutting hook.

Rage filled the dark eyes of the warlocks’ leader. He stuck his arm out and sent a line of flames toward Olivia, much to Phoebe’s horror. Now she knew who had killed that warlock in Candlestick Park, last Saturday. She blinked and the next thing she knew, Olivia and Crozat had changed places. Leaving the warlock leader to feel the impact of the flames. Cole. There could be no other explanation. Her ex-husband had just saved Olivia, using the same power he had used when he had saved Phoebe from Agent Jackman’s bullet, last spring.

With Crozat and many other warlocks dead, the power holding the trap around the Charmed Ones, faltered. Once more, Piper used her combustion power to break the force field . . . and finally succeeded. The destruction of the trap seemed to stun the remaining warlocks, forcing them to reel about in confusion.

“Stand back!” Olivia barked. Once everyone followed her order, she used her telekinesis to gather all of the warlocks – alive and the remaining dead – to the same spot where the Charmed Ones had been held. Then the red-haired witch glanced at the Halliwells. “Okay, ladies.”

Phoebe, Piper and Paige stared at Olivia, then at each other. “Jeez! Did you see that?” the youngest sister muttered.

“Hello! The Power of Three! Use a spell to get rid of them now!” Olivia seemed to be using her power to hold those warlocks still alive, at bay.

Her sisters faced Phoebe and they struggled to create an impromptu spell. Unfortunately, this evening’s events had left their power slightly weakened.

“What’s the matter with us?” a concerned Piper asked.

Phoebe stared at her older sister in panic. “It’s the trap. It must have weakened our powers.”

Olivia cried out, “Hey! What’s taking you so long? I can’t hold them forever!”

“Oh, uh, . . . evil that has formed here,” Phoebe began. Then, “No, wait! Let’s try . . . no.”

An exasperated sigh left Olivia’s mouth. She turned to the half-demon. “Cole! Could you, please?”

Cole nodded. Then he formed an enormous fireball in his hands and tossed it at the warlocks. Every one of them, whether they were alive, unconscious or dead, disappeared into a ball of explosion. Olivia shook her head with mild disbelief. “You are such a ham,” she said with a teasing smile.

“It takes one to know one,” Cole shot back. He was also smiling. Which disturbed Phoebe. Very much. She could almost feel the hot knife of jealousy, twisting in her gut.

Piper mumbled to her sisters, “Well, that’s great. The Charmed Ones saved by two witches and a demon. Boy, do I feel like an eunuch.” Phoebe could not have said it any better.

END OF PART 9