INVINCIBLE (2006) - Aug. 31, 2006
An entertaining but seriously by-the-numbers film about a regular guy who winds up playing pro football. It was definitely well acted, it was entertaining enough, and it was well made, but it was just... I don't think there was a single moment in this movie that felt fresh. It was such a routine "feel good" type of movie, and it did absolutely nothing new. There was nothing in this film I haven't seen a dozen times before. It was redundant. I was thinking I'd give it two-and-a-half, because I was never bored and it was certainly a well put-together film, but the more I think about this movie the more it makes me mad. Was this movie written by a person? Or by the Feel-Good-Sports-Movie-Bot? **
Short reviews of all the movies I see, rated out of four. Reviews containing spoilers are marked with an (S).
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Shutter
SHUTTER (2004) - Aug. 26, 2006
A seriously creepy movie about a photographer and his girlfriend who run over a girl on the street and then drive off. Strange things start happening, including a ghostly figure popping up in the photographer's photos. This was a really effective horror film; it wastes no time getting things started, and manages to maintain a fairly tense atmosphere for pretty much the entire movie. If I had one complaint about the film it is that, sort of like the Grudge, it's fairly light on plot, and basically just consists of one scary set-piece after another. But it's well directed and quite scary, so that's a minor complaint. ***1/2
A seriously creepy movie about a photographer and his girlfriend who run over a girl on the street and then drive off. Strange things start happening, including a ghostly figure popping up in the photographer's photos. This was a really effective horror film; it wastes no time getting things started, and manages to maintain a fairly tense atmosphere for pretty much the entire movie. If I had one complaint about the film it is that, sort of like the Grudge, it's fairly light on plot, and basically just consists of one scary set-piece after another. But it's well directed and quite scary, so that's a minor complaint. ***1/2
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Accepted
ACCEPTED (2006) - Aug. 19, 2006
An enjoyable comedy about a guy who, after being rejected by all the colleges he applies to, decides make up his own. Wackiness ensues. This actually kind of reminded me of a wacky '80s comedy (it seems like the type of movie that, say, Corey Feldman might have made). Justin Long is good as the Ferris Bueller-esque character who comes up with the plan to make the fake school, but without a doubt it's Jonah Hill who steals the show as Long's wacky best friend. He doesn't have all that big of a part, but he steals pretty much every scene he's in. ***
An enjoyable comedy about a guy who, after being rejected by all the colleges he applies to, decides make up his own. Wackiness ensues. This actually kind of reminded me of a wacky '80s comedy (it seems like the type of movie that, say, Corey Feldman might have made). Justin Long is good as the Ferris Bueller-esque character who comes up with the plan to make the fake school, but without a doubt it's Jonah Hill who steals the show as Long's wacky best friend. He doesn't have all that big of a part, but he steals pretty much every scene he's in. ***
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Snakes on a Plane
SNAKES ON A PLANE (2006) - Aug. 17, 2006
This movie gives you pretty much exactly what you'd expect from a movie called Snakes on a Plane. Its main problem is a severe case of overlength, exacerbated by a useless subplot on the ground which begs the question: if it doesn't have snakes, and it isn't on plane, why is it in Snakes on a Plane? It was useless and should have been cut out, along with a lot of other stuff, as this movie really had no right to be any longer than 80 minutes or so. Other than that it was pretty entertaining, and Samuel L. Jackson was really good, particularly in his delivery of the now infamous line involving motherfucking snakes. **1/2
This movie gives you pretty much exactly what you'd expect from a movie called Snakes on a Plane. Its main problem is a severe case of overlength, exacerbated by a useless subplot on the ground which begs the question: if it doesn't have snakes, and it isn't on plane, why is it in Snakes on a Plane? It was useless and should have been cut out, along with a lot of other stuff, as this movie really had no right to be any longer than 80 minutes or so. Other than that it was pretty entertaining, and Samuel L. Jackson was really good, particularly in his delivery of the now infamous line involving motherfucking snakes. **1/2
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Serenity
SERENITY (2005) - Aug. 15, 2006 (Fourth Viewing)
Serenity! I loves me this movie. I'd marry it if I could. What do I like about this movie? Everything! What do I not like about this movie? Nothing! Nathan Fillion is awesome in it, of course, as is everyone else. But I have to give a special mention to Chiwetel Ejiofor, whose brilliantly sinister performance turns the Operative into one of the most memorable movie villains in recent memory. Then there's the direction, the dialogue, the special effects... PURE GOLD. ****
Serenity! I loves me this movie. I'd marry it if I could. What do I like about this movie? Everything! What do I not like about this movie? Nothing! Nathan Fillion is awesome in it, of course, as is everyone else. But I have to give a special mention to Chiwetel Ejiofor, whose brilliantly sinister performance turns the Operative into one of the most memorable movie villains in recent memory. Then there's the direction, the dialogue, the special effects... PURE GOLD. ****
Saturday, August 12, 2006
The Eye 2
THE EYE 2 (2004) - Aug. 12, 2006
Quite a bit different from the first, this definitely isn't simply a rehash that movie (in fact this didn't really even have to be called a sequel, it had almost nothing to do with the original). About a pregnant woman who suspects a ghost is trying to do something sinister with her baby, this isn't nearly as creepy as the original, and in fact almost plays out like a drama for the most part. It was interesting, but definitely an inferior sequel. **1/2
Quite a bit different from the first, this definitely isn't simply a rehash that movie (in fact this didn't really even have to be called a sequel, it had almost nothing to do with the original). About a pregnant woman who suspects a ghost is trying to do something sinister with her baby, this isn't nearly as creepy as the original, and in fact almost plays out like a drama for the most part. It was interesting, but definitely an inferior sequel. **1/2
The Eye
THE EYE (2002) - Aug. 12, 2006
A eerie horror movie about a woman who gets some kind of eye transplant, and then finds that she has the ability to see ghosts. The ghosts she sees don't have any makeup to make them look creepier; they just look like normal people, so at first I was thinking "this isn't scary!" But the movie does actually have a few tricks up its sleeve, and I have found myself a bit creeped out by it since seeing it. ***
A eerie horror movie about a woman who gets some kind of eye transplant, and then finds that she has the ability to see ghosts. The ghosts she sees don't have any makeup to make them look creepier; they just look like normal people, so at first I was thinking "this isn't scary!" But the movie does actually have a few tricks up its sleeve, and I have found myself a bit creeped out by it since seeing it. ***
Friday, August 11, 2006
Pulse
PULSE (2006) - Aug. 11, 2006
A cheesy but sporadically effective horror film about ghosts coming through the internet (which is just as silly as it sounds). Featuring some really mediocre dialogue, and subpar performances to match. It had its moments, but it was repetitive and, though suspenseful at times, not quite as scary as it tries to be. It doesn't help that this type of Ring knockoff is getting a bit tired at this point. **1/2
A cheesy but sporadically effective horror film about ghosts coming through the internet (which is just as silly as it sounds). Featuring some really mediocre dialogue, and subpar performances to match. It had its moments, but it was repetitive and, though suspenseful at times, not quite as scary as it tries to be. It doesn't help that this type of Ring knockoff is getting a bit tired at this point. **1/2
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
The Pink Panther
THE PINK PANTHER (2006) - Aug. 9, 2006
A really silly but entertaining movie starring Steve Martin as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau. I'm not really sure why this film got such a bum rap; it probably helps that I have no memory of the original and thus nothing to compare this to and get angry about. The only really laugh-out-loud funny part was the whole "I would like to buy a hamburger" scene, but it was still quite enjoyable throughout. ***
A really silly but entertaining movie starring Steve Martin as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau. I'm not really sure why this film got such a bum rap; it probably helps that I have no memory of the original and thus nothing to compare this to and get angry about. The only really laugh-out-loud funny part was the whole "I would like to buy a hamburger" scene, but it was still quite enjoyable throughout. ***
Monday, August 07, 2006
World Trade Center
WORLD TRADE CENTER (2006) - Aug. 7, 2006
A powerful film about two cops stuck in the rubble in the World Trade Center, and the impact it has on their families. The movie is really well acted, and Oliver Stone wisely avoids the type of over-the-type over-direction he is known for, though the film's slow pace hurts it a bit around the middle. It was good, though, and actually got me pretty choked up towards the end there. ***
A powerful film about two cops stuck in the rubble in the World Trade Center, and the impact it has on their families. The movie is really well acted, and Oliver Stone wisely avoids the type of over-the-type over-direction he is known for, though the film's slow pace hurts it a bit around the middle. It was good, though, and actually got me pretty choked up towards the end there. ***
Sunday, August 06, 2006
The Matador
THE MATADOR (2005) - Aug. 6, 2006
An enjoyable film about the unlikely friendship between a hitman and a business man. Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear were both really good as the hitman and his friend, and the movie was well written and directed. My only real complaint would be that I wasn't too keen on the cinematography, what with all the colors and such. I guess they do it with computers, and I've seen it in other movies, and I don't think it's ever been used well. ***
An enjoyable film about the unlikely friendship between a hitman and a business man. Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear were both really good as the hitman and his friend, and the movie was well written and directed. My only real complaint would be that I wasn't too keen on the cinematography, what with all the colors and such. I guess they do it with computers, and I've seen it in other movies, and I don't think it's ever been used well. ***
Friday, August 04, 2006
The Benchwarmers
THE BENCHWARMERS (2006) - Aug. 4, 2006
A lame, boring and very much unfunny "comedy". This was pretty much a disaster from minute one; usually with a bad comedy like this, it's at least a little bit entertaining for a while. Not here. Jon Heder proves to be a one-trick pony, playing a somewhat less bizarre version of Napoleon Dynamite, David Spade is David Spade, and Rob Schneider was miscast as an Adam Sandler-esque straight-man. Poop. *1/2
A lame, boring and very much unfunny "comedy". This was pretty much a disaster from minute one; usually with a bad comedy like this, it's at least a little bit entertaining for a while. Not here. Jon Heder proves to be a one-trick pony, playing a somewhat less bizarre version of Napoleon Dynamite, David Spade is David Spade, and Rob Schneider was miscast as an Adam Sandler-esque straight-man. Poop. *1/2
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