SUPERMAN RETURNS (2006) - June 30, 2006
A good, if somewhat overlong superhero movie. Brandon Routh was pretty much perfect as Superman/Clark Kent, as was Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor (I liked that he had an evil scheme befitting a supervillain of his stature). And Bryan Singer's direction was quite good, but... it was so long. At two and a half hours, there was so much movie crammed in there it seems like they could have split it up into two movies. Oh well. It was still a better than average superhero film. ***
Short reviews of all the movies I see, rated out of four. Reviews containing spoilers are marked with an (S).
Friday, June 30, 2006
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST (2006) - June 28, 2006
Wha happened? This was definitely a disappointment. Not that it was really terrible, but it pales in comparison to the first one. There were a few scenes here and there, glimmers of what made the first one so good, but for the most part it's missing the spark of that film. It didn't help that it was significantly darker than COTBP (both figuratively and literally), and unlike that movie, felt seriously overlong at around two and a half hours. It also didn't help that all the stuff with Davy Jones was dark and unpleasant. Bleh. Let's hope the next one is better. **1/2
Wha happened? This was definitely a disappointment. Not that it was really terrible, but it pales in comparison to the first one. There were a few scenes here and there, glimmers of what made the first one so good, but for the most part it's missing the spark of that film. It didn't help that it was significantly darker than COTBP (both figuratively and literally), and unlike that movie, felt seriously overlong at around two and a half hours. It also didn't help that all the stuff with Davy Jones was dark and unpleasant. Bleh. Let's hope the next one is better. **1/2
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (2003) - June 27, 2006 (Second Viewing)
A rollicking adventure, and a superb film. Perhaps a bit on the long side, but that's a minor complaint, considering how enjoyable it is. Perfectly directed by Gore Verbinski, and featuring good performances all around (even Orlando Bloom). And then there's Johnny Depp, whose performance is as brilliant as it is bizarre, and who steals every scene he's in. Even if the movie sucked, it'd be worth it for that crazy performance. It didn't suck. ***1/2
A rollicking adventure, and a superb film. Perhaps a bit on the long side, but that's a minor complaint, considering how enjoyable it is. Perfectly directed by Gore Verbinski, and featuring good performances all around (even Orlando Bloom). And then there's Johnny Depp, whose performance is as brilliant as it is bizarre, and who steals every scene he's in. Even if the movie sucked, it'd be worth it for that crazy performance. It didn't suck. ***1/2
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Click
CLICK (2006) - June 21, 2006
About a man who finds himself in possession of a "universal" remote that can pause, fastforward and even skip time, this was a decent movie. The big problem was that the first half wasn't all that great; though the concept sounds pretty foolproof on paper, it just wasn't all that interesting (for the first half at least). But then at some point, a bit more than half-way through the movie, the tone changes pretty drastically, from silly comedy to something quite a bit more serious. Though it got somewhat melodramatic, this section of the movie was pretty good (a lot more Twilight Zone-y and a lot less silly). Plus, Adam Sandler gave a surprisingly good performance (though I guess I shouldn't be too surprised considering how good he was in PDL). It was essentially entertaining throughout, but yeah. A bit uneven. Plus, the absence of the two Sandler regulars was definitely felt. Where were they? **1/2
About a man who finds himself in possession of a "universal" remote that can pause, fastforward and even skip time, this was a decent movie. The big problem was that the first half wasn't all that great; though the concept sounds pretty foolproof on paper, it just wasn't all that interesting (for the first half at least). But then at some point, a bit more than half-way through the movie, the tone changes pretty drastically, from silly comedy to something quite a bit more serious. Though it got somewhat melodramatic, this section of the movie was pretty good (a lot more Twilight Zone-y and a lot less silly). Plus, Adam Sandler gave a surprisingly good performance (though I guess I shouldn't be too surprised considering how good he was in PDL). It was essentially entertaining throughout, but yeah. A bit uneven. Plus, the absence of the two Sandler regulars was definitely felt. Where were they? **1/2
Monday, June 19, 2006
The Big Sleep
THE BIG SLEEP (1946) - June 19, 2006
An faithful adaptation of the book by Raymond Chandler. I was a bit confused while reading the book, and equally confused while watching the movie. I didn't mind so much while reading the book, because it was exceptionally well written. I minded a bit more here; flatly directed by Howard Hawks, the movie didn't exactly move at a brisk pace. Not that it was bad (Humphrey Bogart was pretty much perfect as Philip Marlowe), but perhaps a bit overrated. **1/2
An faithful adaptation of the book by Raymond Chandler. I was a bit confused while reading the book, and equally confused while watching the movie. I didn't mind so much while reading the book, because it was exceptionally well written. I minded a bit more here; flatly directed by Howard Hawks, the movie didn't exactly move at a brisk pace. Not that it was bad (Humphrey Bogart was pretty much perfect as Philip Marlowe), but perhaps a bit overrated. **1/2
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Paradise Now
PARADISE NOW (2005) - June 18, 2006
A powerful movie about a couple of suicide bombers. Very well directed, well acted, and generally well made. The movie did a good job presenting both sides of the issue. And... I have nothing else to say about this film. Doritos are delicious. ***
A powerful movie about a couple of suicide bombers. Very well directed, well acted, and generally well made. The movie did a good job presenting both sides of the issue. And... I have nothing else to say about this film. Doritos are delicious. ***
Friday, June 16, 2006
Topper
TOPPER (1937) - June 16, 2006
About a freewheeling couple who die, and then decide to help out a stodgy banker as a good deed to get into heaven. Cary Grant was good, but Cary Grant is always good (and his part was too small). The movie itself was kind of iffy; it was basically plotless, and the main character (the banker) wasn't all that interesting. It was essentially entertaining but it did start to drag a bit towards the end. **1/2
About a freewheeling couple who die, and then decide to help out a stodgy banker as a good deed to get into heaven. Cary Grant was good, but Cary Grant is always good (and his part was too small). The movie itself was kind of iffy; it was basically plotless, and the main character (the banker) wasn't all that interesting. It was essentially entertaining but it did start to drag a bit towards the end. **1/2
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
The Lake House
THE LAKE HOUSE (2006) - June 14, 2006
Though the premise of this movie is a bit gimmicky (a man and a woman who live two years apart somehow write to each other via some kind of time-traveling mailbox), it works. Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock were both really good, which helps. The obligatory fake-breakup felt even more artificial here than usual, and the movie does a really bad job keeping the last "twist" a secret, but aside from that this was pretty good. ***
Though the premise of this movie is a bit gimmicky (a man and a woman who live two years apart somehow write to each other via some kind of time-traveling mailbox), it works. Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock were both really good, which helps. The obligatory fake-breakup felt even more artificial here than usual, and the movie does a really bad job keeping the last "twist" a secret, but aside from that this was pretty good. ***
Monday, June 12, 2006
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
KISS KISS BANG BANG (2005) - June 12, 2006
A really enjoyable film noir buddy comedy / murder mystery. Written and directed by Shane Black, who wrote the first Lethal Weapon, and who does a good job here directing for the first time. The movie was surprisingly funny, with most of the laughs coming from the interplay between Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer (who were both quite good). The self-aware narration was sometimes a bit too clever for its own good, but aside from that, good stuff. ***1/2
A really enjoyable film noir buddy comedy / murder mystery. Written and directed by Shane Black, who wrote the first Lethal Weapon, and who does a good job here directing for the first time. The movie was surprisingly funny, with most of the laughs coming from the interplay between Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer (who were both quite good). The self-aware narration was sometimes a bit too clever for its own good, but aside from that, good stuff. ***1/2
Friday, June 09, 2006
The Omen
THE OMEN (2006) - June 9, 2006
A decent but overlong and kind of mediocre horror movie. The performances were good (Mia Farrow was really sinister as a demonic nanny, and it's always nice to see David Thewlis on the big screen), and it was reasonably well directed. The main problem was that, aside from a few creepy parts, the movie just wasn't scary. There were long stretches where you could almost forget you were watching a horror movie; it didn't seem to be building up any kind of tension, or dread. Plus, at almost two hours, it was definitely too long. **1/2
A decent but overlong and kind of mediocre horror movie. The performances were good (Mia Farrow was really sinister as a demonic nanny, and it's always nice to see David Thewlis on the big screen), and it was reasonably well directed. The main problem was that, aside from a few creepy parts, the movie just wasn't scary. There were long stretches where you could almost forget you were watching a horror movie; it didn't seem to be building up any kind of tension, or dread. Plus, at almost two hours, it was definitely too long. **1/2
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Cars
CARS (2006) - June 7, 2006
Well, this seemed like a good movie, but I'll have to watch it again to know for sure. I was really tired, and though I tried my hardest, I wound up falling asleep in the middle of the film. So yeah, another viewing is going to be necessary, especially since what I did see was good. NO RATING
Well, this seemed like a good movie, but I'll have to watch it again to know for sure. I was really tired, and though I tried my hardest, I wound up falling asleep in the middle of the film. So yeah, another viewing is going to be necessary, especially since what I did see was good. NO RATING
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)