Two Movies Over Memorial Weekend

Unleashed
Besides the unique premise of a fighter who behaves like puppy dog when collared and a rabid dog when unleashed, the storyline of is quite standard. The movie, however, was very well done. It was entertaining--intense, harrowing yet heartwarming, and funny.

Crash
"Crash" is a lot more ambitious--as most movies with intersecting storylines are--and deals with overt and subtle forms of racism. When "Crash" mentions stereotypes without any true consequences, it oversaturates itself with throwaway scenes. Haggis's directing undermines his own script--he uses cheap tricks such as slow motion and close-up reaction shots to emphasize scenes that already speak for themselves. Perhaps I'm being too finical though, because when the stories work, and quite a few do, they blow me away.