Cool News
Al Pacino? Straight To DVD? A Review Of 88 MINUTES!
Hey, everyone. ”Moriarty” here.
I saw that some photos from the set of RIGHTEOUS KILL showed up, featuring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino together. That film, like this one, is directed by Jon Avnet, and like this one, rumor has it that RIGHTEOUS KILL will be headed directly to DVD, although it's being vigorously denied at the moment.
That’s crazy, and I hope it’s not right, but that’s what we can expect for 88 MINUTES. Millennium Films just doesn't have a great track record. Still... you're talking about Pacino in a thriller here. It's gotta be decent... right?
Hey Moriarty!
I've just seen 88 minutes with Al Pacino directed by the impersonal Jon Avnet. I don't know why the released date has been pushed several times to 2008, because it's not a bad movie. It's a mediocre thriller, but not bad.
Alfonse plays a hot shot Seattle psychiatrist who helps the local police (represented by William Forsythe) catch serial killers. He's a single womanizer who has zero commitment. How do we know he's a ruthless son of a bitch? Because he lives in an penthouse with no decoration and lots of steel (A clear sign of that personality, at least in the movies). Anyway, he's about to watch the execution of a serial killer (Neal McDonough) he helped get his conviction. He likes to manipulate people and, although they found no DNA or hard evidence, Al convinced the juror he was the murderer of several women (victims were found with their throats slit and hanging upside down tied to one feet). I forgot, Al likes to fuck his female students too.
Well. He receives an anonymous call on his cell that he's about to die in 88 minutes. One of her student (who he might or might not slept with) turns up dead, another student (Leelee Sobieski) is attacked in the campus by a stranger, another one (Alicia Witt) who has crushed on Al, is stalked by her ex. His car blows up, etc. A lot of shit happens in those 88 minutes. Why 88? Because that number has something to do with the death of his kid sister some 30 years ago. Oops!
88 Minutes, altough it could, it's not filmed in real time like, Nick of Time. Al drives a cab and runs a lot around Seattle against the clock, altough we are reminded of the time because the serial killer keeps calling and tellling "you have x minutes left". The premise it's interesting because like any whodunit the movie has a lot of secondary characters. Besides the aforementioned there's also Amy Brenneman as Al's lesbian secretary, Benjamin "Th O.C" McKenzie as an obnoxious student and the lovely Debora Kara Unger as the Campus' Dean. Wow, lots of characters.
As the story unfolds the plot gets mud thick. Shit thick. There's a lot of connections between characters and once we know the truth it's hard to track back the different events that lead to the resolution. There are some nice thriller touches like at one point you think that ALL OF THEM are in cahoots like in The Game. But's the solution it's simpler. Far simpler. When I watch these type of films I expect a good resolution. It's hard because its plot tries all the time to fool you and when the true killer appears is always a letdown. Such it's the case. And worse, the killer engages in the typical explanation of the plot because otherwise we wouldn't understand shit.
Anyway, Al's acting is good. He doesn't scream a lot and looks haggard and with a hangover (oh...the eighties...) and wears his usual black wardrobe. The movie is a B-thriller with familiar faces. At one point we think that Alicia Witt is going to bare it all, but damn, she's left with a t-shirt. Those non nudity contracts...
Johan Hofzinser out.
Thanks!
ps: forgive my neanderthal English. It's not my native language.
ps2: I also sent a review of The Brave One a couple of weeks ago but I think it didn't reach you.
-
+ Expand All
-
or something like that?
-
to say Al PAchino has over-acted his way to crappy movies.
Phoning one in again - hoo haaa -
It's a dark day when Al Pacino goes DTV. Ain't right at all.
-
kills with laser beams that shoot from his freakish crystal blue eyes. If he and Meg Foster mated the kid would look like the Children Of The Damned.
-
"There's GOLD in them thar DTV!"
From The Godfather to this....sad indeed! -
i saw this about 7 months ago allready
-
HOOO-AAAHHH! Alicia Witt smells like cherry pie!
-
a pristine bootleg of this film has been doing the rounds for months, now. i have always ignored the guys who say that ain't it cool is getting slow, but it seems it really is true. considering you have celebrated bootlegs before (the pirate Narnia trailer, anyone?), you can't pretend they do not exist and it's really sad that you have not been aware of this being out there for at least a few weeks already. not personally watched, i would still prefer to see films legitimately, but you can't pretend that things are not out there.
-
This guy obviously reviewed this from an illegal download-it's been onlien for ages!Oh dear,Moriaty,naughty you for publishing it!
-
direct to DVD for big Al is both depressing and inevitable.
-
I gotta see this movie.
-
Oh yeah, I forgot, that's all he does now. Can we really be too surprised he's in STV shit? The guy was in Gigli for Christ's sake!
-
I liked Cruising 1, though, so who knows?
-
I saw this movie months ago!.
-
Sep 12, 2007 1:46:54 PM CDT
Why 88 minutes? GIMMIE ALL YA GOT! GIMMIE ALL YA GOT!!!
by stuntcock mike
Him and DeNiro have lost it.
-
Are Shannon Tweed, Rick Moranis, and Louis Gossett Jr in this too?
-
Was the title of the novel used as the basis for Die Hard 2. The author was Walter Wager or something like that.
-
...until Pacino's career is finished.
-
Lee Lee is the bomb as well, I liked her in Joy Ride.
-
I enjoyed it. Even though the identity of the 'killer' is not just telegraphed, but SHOUTED FROM THE ROOFTOPS at you.It's what the movie "Perfect Stranger" was trying to be, except that one was just plain trash.
-
Screw this 88 minute review, what's the news on Solid Snake and Bale?
-
Don't feel bad about missing this movie. This piece of shit disguised as a thriller has zero suspense and zero intensity - not to mention one of the most ridiculous storylines in many years. It's also filled with amateur night performances and plot holes the size of Alicia Witt's firecrotch. The ending of this movie will literally make you cringe and vomit with disappointment.
It's upsetting to see Al slum with a bunch of C-listers, but what's even sadder is that good old Al has lost his touch. The poor guy looks tired as hell. He's lost that sparkle in his eyes and that fire in his belly. That is truly the saddest part of all.
-
Heat rules.
-
What do you want? A "Junior G-Man" badge? Albert...you drag me here...
-
I know Pacino and Deniro have been slippin'....but damn!
-
a couple of months ago at Pacino's AFI tribute. Did someone run out the hall and pick up a copy at the nearest street corner?
-
It keeps him sharp (snap), on-time (snap), where he's gotta be.
-
Bobby Deerfield! Or Revolution!
-
The Devils Advocate on one of Turners cable channels, I am compelled to watch at least 15-30 minutes of it? There is something about that flick that pulls me in. Its not that its a shitfest, it just ain't THAT good.
-
You focking child.
-
Doomed.. It's been circulating on the net for over a year now. Releasing this in theatres would just simply make it bomb. Too many eyes have seen it and too much time has been passed since completion and realese... They botched it, hell just don't put it out and save Pacino's career! It can't end like this!
-
I worked a producer on Righteous Kill for one day. A friend of mine who works on on the set read the script and said it was terrible.
-
I worked for one of the eight producers of the movie
-
I may send in my thoughts.
-
Wasn't very good, and I love Tony. Skip it.
-
but a bitch ain't one.
seriously, a pacino movie going straight to DVD? a pacino/de niro movie going straight to DVD? World going straight to hell more like. -
ok, let's recap the geniuses in this thread : "Pacino sucks now, all he does is yell" - BULL FUCKING SHIT. "Angels in America" and "merchant of Venice" were within the last 4 years you philistines with short memories.
Let's leave the discussion of acting Gods to people who've actually kissed a girl, ok? In the meantime you fucking morons can talk about "The Matrix" and whatever CGI crapfest you are creaming over this week.
Also, "Righteous Kill" ain't going straight to dvd - NO WAY; and actually neither is "88 Minutes" - it's a Jan. 2008 limited release through Sony.
The movie itself is mediocre and Pacino is ok in it. But it's watchable......... -
...Being financed by Millenium films? They are doing Righteous Kill too right? If thats the case, it explains all. I'm pretty sure they are some kind of drug front or something. They go from making crappy DTV kung fu shit, to attracting massive stars and creative teams to high profile projects, like Wicker Man, Black Dahlia, 16 Blocks etc, and churning out shit that looks like it was shot on a weekend with spare change. The minute I heard their name in connection with Righteous Kill, I smelt mediocre, completely souless shit coming down.
-
Millenium struck a deal for "Righteous Kill" where other partners are being brought in.....long story short : the future of Millenium Pictures rest on RK's success - they are BANKING on it (which is why it ain't going to dvd people).
It will be a Millenium picture but different from their previous disasters in terms of visual quality, production values, promotion, etc. Can't guarantee it won't suck - but Millenium this time doesn't mean what it has in their unimpressive past. -
Isn't this just that crappy DOA movie(which was a remake of a better DOA movie) from the 80s set in real time?
-
Sep 12, 2007 6:57:07 PM CDT
Watching Pacino's performance, in THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE,
by thegreatwhatzit
is one of my recurrent pleasures. He's the best "Satan" since Walter Huston (DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER)--and who would have thought a model-turned actress (Charlize Theron) could actually deliver the goods? Just for the record, my third favorite "Satan" is Clarence Williams III (TALES FROM THE HOOD): not nearly as witty nor as sensitive as Pacino/Huston but pure, undiluted, unbridled camp.
-
like June or something
-
Do not see it. It's like a spoof of bad movie you'd see in an other movie. What made Pacino do this film is beyond me.
-
the story was mostly good, the ending was a bit shit though.
-
The title of the book, That "Die Hard 2" is based on, is "58 minutes".
-
By the way this may be re-edited a little for the North American release. Those who've seen the European cut (same as what's floating around the web) may get a slightly tweaked film in the US.....which may improve the continuity problems. It's not that bad really - just mediocre. There's one GREAT scene where Pacino explains what "88 Minutes" means too.
-
felt like you slept for 12 hours? Or a piss? Tell me this: Of all the great lays you had. What do you remember the most about them? Me, I don't know, maybe it's a certain way she moves, some broads knee on my elbow, a certain sound she made.
-
Why yes, he did.
-
At least I've never heard of them, until I passed them in the aisle of the local video store. Collecting those paychecks.
-
Why does this movie sound a hell of a lot like Oldboy? Eh. Whatever.
-
It wasn't great.
-
Al did scream in Angels in America. Bad argument.
-
Am I the only one thinking this site's hitting new lows?
I mean, remember the Stallone Q&A stuff? That was the peak of this sites success.
Let's leave out the Bruce Willis stuff, it was nowhere near as good.
(And DH4 was utter shite)
As for 88 minutes? I tried to watch this turd months ago & had to switch it off - bad acting, bad story, badly filmed. Need I go on?
And for the record - I can't stand Al Pacino. I can make it through Devil's Advocate, Godfather 1 & 2 and most of Heat. Other than that - thanks but no thanks.
-
that gets offered to Daniel Baldwin... How Pacino ended up in it is anyone's guess...
-
No, I don't think the point is that he yelled in "Angels in America", it's more like he was absolutely great in it. The guy likes to play big characters. If he takes a role as a shy librarian and yells then I can call it a valid criticism. Until then, saying Al Pacino yells too much is like saying Shaquille O'Neil dunks the ball too much or Brando mumbled too much - it's retarded.
"People I Know" was a limited release theatrical release (I saw it in Seattle) - he's quite good in that muddled film though - and he doesn't yell much in that role for you sensitive ear-drum types. -
I saw this movie a while back and have since been trying to convince my self it was just a strange dream; that Al couldn't possibly not have found something better. The movie is plain depressing. I'm so very sad.
-
Oops! You're right--it's 58. I still have the thing. The title "88 Minutes" sounded damn familiar, though! I stand corrected, tail between legs
-
Pacino straight to dvd? DeNiro possibly straight to dvd? WTF? These two were easily in the top 10 of greatest actors in American film back in the day, but they've both slipped into self-parody. I never thought I'd see the day when these guys would be in DTV trash, though. Say it ain't so.
Readers Talkback
User Login
Top Talkbacks
- Whitney Houston 1963 - 2012 -- 171 total posts 169 posts
- AVENGERS enemy revealed as pink boardgame pieces... You might suffer some form of elation... SPOILERS!!! -- 157 total posts 111 posts
- There's a STAR TREK video game that is going to lead into JJ's STAR TREK 2 apparently... -- 138 total posts 75 posts
- Here's The Red Band Trailer For Drafthouse Films' THE FP! -- 67 total posts 67 posts
- To Commemorate The 3D Release Of STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, George Lucas Wants You To Know...Greedo Shoots First!! -- 479 total posts 62 posts
- New JUDGE DREDD post production footage pops up -- 59 total posts 59 posts
- Does ‘SNL’ Rhyme With ‘Deschanel’?? Learn Which SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE Vet Hosts After Sexy Zooey!! -- 62 total posts 59 posts
- HANNA's Saoirse Ronan to boss around seven little people -- 48 total posts 45 posts
- Friday Brings SWEEPS DAY NINE!! Gab Here About Tonight’s FRINGE!! Plus Einstein on TIM, Wiig On PORTLANDIA, MAHER, CLONE, GIFTED, GRIMM, SPARTACUS, SUPERNATURAL, GOLD RUSH And More!! -- 116 total posts 32 posts
- SPACE 2099!! -- 181 total posts 30 posts