DVD REVIEW

THE HOAX

This is the kind of movie that flops at the box office. Did it even make it to the theater? Maybe, but I don't know for sure, which proves my point.

And yet this true story, starring Richard Gere, is actually a fantastic watch. Gere plays Clifford Irving, a man who. In 1972, nearly pulled the con of the century by releasing a fake autobiography of Howard Hughes. Yes, the same eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes who was portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in 2004's The Aviator. The name may have faded from the headlines since his 3 death in 1976, but in his day, Hughes was a very big deal (think DiCaprio times 10, but with details of his life shrouded in mystery).

The story is that Irving's newest book had just been dumped by mega-publisher McGraw-Hill, so he invented the idea that Hughes called him pitching a tell-all biography. Forged documents, bold lies and near-million-dollar checks made Clifford Irving a household name in the early 1970s. And Gere captures his essence perfectly, or so comparisons from 60 Minutes segments (DVD special features) would lead one to believe. Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2) provides quality support as Irving's writing partner.

Swedish director Lasse Hallstrom (An Unfinished Life, Chocolat, The Cider House Rules) continues his recent string of fantastic English-language films with this latest effort. If his name is attached to a title nowadays, it'll probably be a very well-made movie.

The Hoax is an easy watch and falls beautifully into the category of true stories that are far stranger than fiction.

THE INVISIBLE

"From the producers of The Sixth Sense," the DVD case reads. But if it's The Sixth Sense you want, go rent that instead. The Invisible is a wash of the "Is that person dead or what?" type of film, crossed with teens-getting-killed films like I Know What You Did Last Summer. And the result is a bore.

Nick Powell (Justin Chatwin, War of the Worlds) is a brooding high school senior with a bright future. Though he's well liked, someone leaks misinformation about him to a school bully whose thugs beat Nick to death. Or do they? Trapped in some sort of limbo, Nick has to find a way to tell someone that his mostly lifeless body is hidden in the woods, and if left alone, he will actually die.

Everything's dark in this movie, from the weather to Powell's mopey faces to the all-black wardrobe of villainess Annie Newton (Margarita Levieva, TV's Vanished), but at times, it feels forced and a bit ridiculous. Perhaps school bullies really do cut their schoolmates' thumbs open when they don't get paid for providing stolen cell phones, but I've never seen it. Director David S. Goyer (Blade: Trinity) collects gorgeous shots amid his dimly lit sets, but his stars overact and deliver hokey tines. The movie doesn't really commit to any angle-e.g. suspense, horror drama or some hybrid thereof-which makes it feel like a failure on most levels. The previews are better than the film itself, so don't waste the money to rent it.

These videos courtesy of Hollywood Video, 590 Broadway Ave., 208-342-6117.