Little Miss Sunshine - four stars
While depressing at times (because what insanely disfunctional family isn't, outside of Al & Peg Bundy), this was a fantastic movie. Alan Arkin and Abigail Breslin are deserving Oscar Nominees, and Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, and Steve Carell are terrific. There were so many genuinely hilarious laugh-out-loud moments, all coming to a head with the last 10 minutes. If you don't already know, the title refers to a children's beauty pagent, and that itself is one of the most disturbing and infomfortable things in life to me. When you see it, you'll know what I am coming from.
Jet Li's Fearless - three stars
Having been on an action kick, I had heard ok things about this. Overall, it was good, and the plot was solid enough. The fight scenes, as one would expect in a Jet Li movie, were very good. I liked how the story was laid out: the main character of the story (set in early 1910-20 China) has to fight four men from various countries as part of a challenge. It is between the third and fourth fight that the movie goes back and tells you how he got to that point. If this is Jet Li's final martial arts movie, it was a good one. Personally, while I liked this movie, I liked The Protector more.
Waist Deep - two and a half stars
This was a decent movie, but nothing to carry on about. The action was good, the characters wasn't bad, and the plot was ok. The one thing that brought this movie down a notch were the holes in the story - how did this happen, why did this happen, what happened to this, and especially the very end - you'll be asking the same questions, probably. Also, if you hate rap, don't watch.
Next: not sure. Maybe The Sentinal, Flags of Our Fathers, School for Scoundrels, and hopefully I can get a nice early copy of The Departed.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
A Few More to Add
16 Blocks - three stars
Solid, but I think my expectations were too high. I will see almost anything with Bruce Willis in it, but there is something that lacks for me when he plays a "aging burnt-out cop" - although he was good. Mos Def was good, although the way the character speaks was pretty annoying to me. David Morse as Bruce's ex-partner - solid also. Good movie, and it went pretty quickly. There is an alternate ending, which according to the director, was the original ending before it was switched with what is the actual ending. To me, the ending that's in the movie is the better one, especially with the song over the closing credits.
The Devil Wears Prada - three stars
How can Meryl Streep not be great? Well, she is, again. Anne Hathaway is good, as is Stanley Tucci. The plot flows pretty well, and the story is pretty light with some good and funny moments. It's a chick-flick, but not a sappy romance-type - definitely watchable, and I didn't feel my masculinity seeping away by the minute.
The Marine - two and a half stars
A decent way of passing the time, but the movie was corny and predictable. John Cena certainly isn't horrible in his first movie, but I don't know if he has the same potential as The Rock - maybe if they can get past the WWE-produced corn. Robert Patrick has the moment of the movie, reacting to a comment about the Terminator. Everything in the movie is pretty cliche, over-the-top, and it's easy to figure out what will happen, but overall, it was ok.
The Guardian - three stars
I've been jonesing for a good Costner movie. He and Ashton Kutcher do well in this one, about a salty, legendary USCG rescue swimmer coming out of the fleet (because of a disasterous rescue where he lost his crew) to teach at the A school, and Kutcher plays a cocky, well-reputed relay swimmer with baggage of his own. The movie sticks to the "old vet/young rookie" playbook, but is pretty decent anyway.
Invincible - three and a half stars
Good movie done well, sort of in the same was as The Rookie with Dennis Quaid. Marky Mark plays a 30 year-old bartender, down on his luck, who tries out and makes the Philadelphia Eagles. The story is a good one in a feel-good sort of way. The soundtrack, if you're into classic rock from the seventies, is FANTASTIC. I would have liked to have seen more in-game football shots, but nonetheless, the movie is enjoyable.
Two in the queue: Little Miss Sunshine and Fearless.
Solid, but I think my expectations were too high. I will see almost anything with Bruce Willis in it, but there is something that lacks for me when he plays a "aging burnt-out cop" - although he was good. Mos Def was good, although the way the character speaks was pretty annoying to me. David Morse as Bruce's ex-partner - solid also. Good movie, and it went pretty quickly. There is an alternate ending, which according to the director, was the original ending before it was switched with what is the actual ending. To me, the ending that's in the movie is the better one, especially with the song over the closing credits.
The Devil Wears Prada - three stars
How can Meryl Streep not be great? Well, she is, again. Anne Hathaway is good, as is Stanley Tucci. The plot flows pretty well, and the story is pretty light with some good and funny moments. It's a chick-flick, but not a sappy romance-type - definitely watchable, and I didn't feel my masculinity seeping away by the minute.
The Marine - two and a half stars
A decent way of passing the time, but the movie was corny and predictable. John Cena certainly isn't horrible in his first movie, but I don't know if he has the same potential as The Rock - maybe if they can get past the WWE-produced corn. Robert Patrick has the moment of the movie, reacting to a comment about the Terminator. Everything in the movie is pretty cliche, over-the-top, and it's easy to figure out what will happen, but overall, it was ok.
The Guardian - three stars
I've been jonesing for a good Costner movie. He and Ashton Kutcher do well in this one, about a salty, legendary USCG rescue swimmer coming out of the fleet (because of a disasterous rescue where he lost his crew) to teach at the A school, and Kutcher plays a cocky, well-reputed relay swimmer with baggage of his own. The movie sticks to the "old vet/young rookie" playbook, but is pretty decent anyway.
Invincible - three and a half stars
Good movie done well, sort of in the same was as The Rookie with Dennis Quaid. Marky Mark plays a 30 year-old bartender, down on his luck, who tries out and makes the Philadelphia Eagles. The story is a good one in a feel-good sort of way. The soundtrack, if you're into classic rock from the seventies, is FANTASTIC. I would have liked to have seen more in-game football shots, but nonetheless, the movie is enjoyable.
Two in the queue: Little Miss Sunshine and Fearless.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Just saw three...(Not Saw III)
Barnyard - two and a half stars
It was very....eh. My daughter liked it, but I just couldn't get into it. Kevin James is funny though, and for the kids, its probably a good one. I enjoyed Open Season more.
Benchwarmers - three stars
Silly, lowbrow, crude, and stupid humor. Watched it with my son, who could not stop laughing. Rob Schneider, David Spade, Napolean Dynamite, and Jon Lovitz were all pretty funny, and there were some really funny moments. Definitely not a critics movie, but funny.
The Protector (Tom Yum Goong) - three and a half stars
I don't really know what Quentin Tarentino has to do with this movie, as his name is in the commercials for it and on the box. The story build-up is interesting and flows, and the fight scenes are terrific. Tony Jaa is very good, and there are about 100 times more bones broken in this movie than all of Steven Seagal's movies combined. Very enjoyable movie.
It was very....eh. My daughter liked it, but I just couldn't get into it. Kevin James is funny though, and for the kids, its probably a good one. I enjoyed Open Season more.
Benchwarmers - three stars
Silly, lowbrow, crude, and stupid humor. Watched it with my son, who could not stop laughing. Rob Schneider, David Spade, Napolean Dynamite, and Jon Lovitz were all pretty funny, and there were some really funny moments. Definitely not a critics movie, but funny.
The Protector (Tom Yum Goong) - three and a half stars
I don't really know what Quentin Tarentino has to do with this movie, as his name is in the commercials for it and on the box. The story build-up is interesting and flows, and the fight scenes are terrific. Tony Jaa is very good, and there are about 100 times more bones broken in this movie than all of Steven Seagal's movies combined. Very enjoyable movie.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Two more...
Inside Man - three stars
Good, not great. Denzel is great as a NYPD detective, Christopher Plummer is decent as the bank head-honcho, Clive Owen is good as the theif, and Jodie Foster is simply annoying as a person whose job it is to do very vague things for/with very important people. Her character adds nothing to the movie, in my most humble opinion, while Denzel is left to make up for the void, which he does. Near the end, the plot goes haywire, trying to make this movie more than just a heist movie, coming to a screeching halt with about a half hour left to go.
Gridiron Gang - two and a half stars
I like The Rock - call it a guilty pleasure - but then again, I enjoy professional wrestling. He plays a counselor/security guy/football coach type of guy in a juvenile detention center, encouraging the kids to have confidence and aspire to get out of the kind of life that helped them wind up in their current situation. The dialogue was cheesy and the plot was predictable. There were some somewhat emotional moments and occasional funny dialogue, but all too forced, cliche, and underwhelming. I wasn't expecting Hoosiers or We Are Marshall here, but if The Rock ever gets a good script, maybe he will break out.
I am waiting on three hours to come along and put itself aside to watch The Protector, and will probably catch Little Miss Sunshine, The Devil Wears Prada, and maybe either Barnyard or The Wild over the next few days.
Good, not great. Denzel is great as a NYPD detective, Christopher Plummer is decent as the bank head-honcho, Clive Owen is good as the theif, and Jodie Foster is simply annoying as a person whose job it is to do very vague things for/with very important people. Her character adds nothing to the movie, in my most humble opinion, while Denzel is left to make up for the void, which he does. Near the end, the plot goes haywire, trying to make this movie more than just a heist movie, coming to a screeching halt with about a half hour left to go.
Gridiron Gang - two and a half stars
I like The Rock - call it a guilty pleasure - but then again, I enjoy professional wrestling. He plays a counselor/security guy/football coach type of guy in a juvenile detention center, encouraging the kids to have confidence and aspire to get out of the kind of life that helped them wind up in their current situation. The dialogue was cheesy and the plot was predictable. There were some somewhat emotional moments and occasional funny dialogue, but all too forced, cliche, and underwhelming. I wasn't expecting Hoosiers or We Are Marshall here, but if The Rock ever gets a good script, maybe he will break out.
I am waiting on three hours to come along and put itself aside to watch The Protector, and will probably catch Little Miss Sunshine, The Devil Wears Prada, and maybe either Barnyard or The Wild over the next few days.
Monday, January 8, 2007
Three good ones...
Running Scared - four stars
Fantastic action movie. Things started off with a nice flash-forward, and the movie hits the ground running. Paul Walker, whom I've never heard of really, is terrific, and any Chazz Palminteri sighting is a good one. Great plot, ok finish, and just one of the better action movies I've ever seen.
Open Season - three stars
Funny movie. Ashton Kutcher and Martin Lawrence are funny, and there's an appearance by the made-for-animated-movies-guy Patrick Warburton. It wasn't Shrek or Toy Story, but at the local $1.50 theater, almost anything is worth going to see, and my daughter and I laughed our butts off a few times.
The Illusionist - three and a half stars
Ed Norton, Paul Giamatti, Rufus Sewell, and Jessica Biel are very good in this movie, and the plot is a good one. This was a solid drama though not heavy, and something I'd let my kids watch. Norton plays a magician-type in Early Vienna (years not given), and while I had no intention of going out of my way to grab this at the video store, people told me it was great, and I found it...good.
Fantastic action movie. Things started off with a nice flash-forward, and the movie hits the ground running. Paul Walker, whom I've never heard of really, is terrific, and any Chazz Palminteri sighting is a good one. Great plot, ok finish, and just one of the better action movies I've ever seen.
Open Season - three stars
Funny movie. Ashton Kutcher and Martin Lawrence are funny, and there's an appearance by the made-for-animated-movies-guy Patrick Warburton. It wasn't Shrek or Toy Story, but at the local $1.50 theater, almost anything is worth going to see, and my daughter and I laughed our butts off a few times.
The Illusionist - three and a half stars
Ed Norton, Paul Giamatti, Rufus Sewell, and Jessica Biel are very good in this movie, and the plot is a good one. This was a solid drama though not heavy, and something I'd let my kids watch. Norton plays a magician-type in Early Vienna (years not given), and while I had no intention of going out of my way to grab this at the video store, people told me it was great, and I found it...good.
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Hugo Weaving Rawks
V for Vendetta - four stars
This movie dragged a bit near the end, but I enjoyed it immensely. Natalie Portman was fantastic, and Hugo Weaving (or perhaps the voice of Hugo Weaving) was great as well. The plot was interesting, and the action was very....actiony...by the same guys who did The Matrix.
This movie dragged a bit near the end, but I enjoyed it immensely. Natalie Portman was fantastic, and Hugo Weaving (or perhaps the voice of Hugo Weaving) was great as well. The plot was interesting, and the action was very....actiony...by the same guys who did The Matrix.
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Movies: Catch-up
I just feel like posting a log of the movies that I've seen. Last month, I took a part-time job at the local BlockBuster, so my movie-watching has increased somewhat (obviously).
Last week:
Snatch - four stars
Lucky Number Slevin - four and a half stars
Snakes on a Plane - three stars
Crank - three and a half stars
Failure to Launch - three stars
A History of Violence - three and a half stars
Flyboys - four stars
Last week:
Snatch - four stars
A lot of fun to watch. The acting was great, the movie flowed, and the plot was terrific. If the movie has a flaw, it is the sometimes incomprehensible cockney-type accents. Brad Pitt was completely impossible to understand, but from what they say, it was supposed to be that bad.
Lucky Number Slevin - four and a half stars
Fantastic. I put this movie only a notch below The Usual Suspects, but to me it was of the same sort. Great plot, you're following the story...and then the story has changed completely...with a twist. The cast is top-notch: Josh Harnett, Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, Bruce Willis, Stanley Tucci, and Lucy Liu.
Snakes on a Plane - three stars
I don't know if it would have been watchable, or as watchable, without Samuel L. Jackson, but this was a lot of fun to watch. I was reminded of Eight Legged Freaks in the way that it was cheesy, fun, and requiring a complete suspension of belief, but since Samuel L. is 4,000 times greater than David Arquette, enough said.
Crank - three and a half stars
Right from the get-go, there is action with only a few lulls. The lulls are made more apparent with the fast pace of the movie, and at times, Amy Smart (whom I normally really like) almost steals the movie from Jason Stratham and ruins it. It was fun to watch, and certainly entertaining. I sure didn't recognize Dwight Yoakam though...but who would?
Failure to Launch - three stars
Seeing Kathy Bates naked in About Schmidt left enough scars, but seeing Terry Bradshaw naked was almost as bad. It was funny, and McConaughey and Parker were good. There were quite a few laugh-out-loud moments, and with a comedy, that's all I ask for. The more, the merrier.
A History of Violence - three and a half stars
I liked the movie, and thought Viggo was pretty good in it. How William Hurt gets the Best Supporting Actor nomination for his 10-15 minutes at the end is a total swerve. Ed Harris almost steals the movie (in a good way), and it totally evil and believable as an organized crime higher-up-type. Maria Bello, in the movie also, is just plain hot. I think the only bad thing about the movie is its incredible hype, which made me come away from the movie liking it, but not loving it as the aforementioned hype would have expected.
Flyboys - four stars
My son's favorite movie of all time. Let me drop this pearl of wisdom: If you ever go and see a movie that looks like it may be kind of crappy or so-so at the best, take a kid to see it. Kids are incredibly easy to please, and their enthusiasm will totally boost your level of enjoyment (see Alien vs. Predator). James Franco was good in the movie, and the flying/action/battle scenes were terrific. I might have enjoyed it more since I saw it at a local $1.50 theater, but in retrospect, I did spend another $15 on Twizzlers, popcorn, and soda, so it all comes together in the end.
Movies on tap, possibly, for the next week:
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