This is a movie that frankly does not have much to offer as far as a cinematic experience goes.
The premise upon which this comedy was based, by itself just did not have enough comedic meat to sink your teeth into. The concept of a surrogate mother carrying another woman's child in her womb allowed only a few awkward situations to arise, and since it is so rare, very few people can relate.
Having said that, Tina Fey added whatever charm the movie had, and I hope to see more movies with her in them.
Thanks.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Indiana Jones....The 4th installment
Alright...
On this one you can't fairly try to compare it with Raiders of the Lost Ark, one of the top classic movies of all time. If you expect any movie to have even half the impact that Raiders had at the time of its release, then give it up. It just ain't gonna happen.
In order to judge this film you just have to compare it with current films. When you look at it in this light, then you are in for a treat, because today's market does not offer a similar experience.
It has several action sequences that cause you to say...."yeah right! that could never happen!" as can be expected. But I think that that is part of the fun of going and watching one of these films, We don't get to defy reality in our daily lives so Spielberg allows us a vicarious defiance when we watch the film.
I have to hand it to the scriptwriters, because they managed to find things that sparked our interest in this film once again.
Indiana Jones once again shows us that his extreme Knowledge of such varied subjects makes him extremely competent, a trait that sets him apart from other heroes.
And the overall message of the film is that Knowledge is Golden!
On this one you can't fairly try to compare it with Raiders of the Lost Ark, one of the top classic movies of all time. If you expect any movie to have even half the impact that Raiders had at the time of its release, then give it up. It just ain't gonna happen.
In order to judge this film you just have to compare it with current films. When you look at it in this light, then you are in for a treat, because today's market does not offer a similar experience.
It has several action sequences that cause you to say...."yeah right! that could never happen!" as can be expected. But I think that that is part of the fun of going and watching one of these films, We don't get to defy reality in our daily lives so Spielberg allows us a vicarious defiance when we watch the film.
I have to hand it to the scriptwriters, because they managed to find things that sparked our interest in this film once again.
Indiana Jones once again shows us that his extreme Knowledge of such varied subjects makes him extremely competent, a trait that sets him apart from other heroes.
And the overall message of the film is that Knowledge is Golden!
Monday, May 19, 2008
The Fall
OK.....This is a hard movie to review because I have mixed feelings about it. But here goes.
I can say without any reservations that the filming itself, in this movie, is totally awesome! Different than any style of shooting that I have ever seen making the film a unique film with a style all to its own. Breathtaking views, crazy scenery and landscapes, imaginative perspectives, etc. Big plus.
That being the film's biggest attraction, I'll say that the acting was also quite good, and in the case of the heroin... a 5 year old Hungarian girl, I would have to say she did a remarkable job and made the movie work.
The story tempo, I must let you know, is more than a little on the slow side, so if you are impatient...then this film is not for you. If you don't mind letting the story just move along step, by turtle step, then you'll be fine.
The story, or the director's rendition of the story, definitely takes a turn into strange lands, and strange depictions of fantasies, so to put it bluntly, it gets pretty wierd. Again it is a matter of taste, so you will know if you like movies where the wierdness factor exceeds 7 on a a scale of 1 to 10.
And finally, the story goes down the "sad- let's try to jerk some tears" path, the question is can our young heroine save our hero (and the audience too at this point), and get him to turn around and head back into happyland in time to avoid an early demise?
Go see it if you are fine one the points above, but if you are not one to enjoy slow, sad, strange movies, then it may not be for you.
Narnia - Prince Caspian...was pretty good if I may say so!
This episode was actually better than than the first one by far!
Why? well first of all there was A LOT more humor in this one. There were so many witty little jokes and fitting one liners that just had the audience rolling constantly.
The crowd may have influenced my opinion of the film. I saw it at the El Capitan theatre- and it was packed- so we were all paying at least 15 bucks, and those in the VIP seats which take up the majority of the good seats pay around 20! My point is that the audience wanted to get their money's worth and were very much participating and alive!
This show also was much more upbeat....sure it had its points of failure where the characters had to reassess their situations...but the plot did not dwell on those and they moved on to the next challenge at hand. Very good move.
The battle scenes were much better also. The scenery was good too as in the first one.
A strong message was interwoven into the story- the moral of the story? Believe in yourself regardless of whether or not others believe in you or not! Truth! Truth! Truth!
Congratulations to Disney! They have a winner.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
What Happens In Vegas
Cameron Diaz got a chance to dazzle us once again in this one. She sports a tanned body, which we get to see a lot of in this movie, and she shows that she is aging very well...Oh yeah!!! Still quite the little hottie!!!
Lake Bell most definitely added flavor as a scrumpcious side dish. She was just awesome!
And where the hell has Rob Corddry been hiding all these years! He suddenly emerges and co-stars in three top hit comedies...(Heartbreak Kid, Harold and Kumar escape from Guantanamo Bay, and this one) and he was much funnier than Ashton!
And is it just me or was Ashton Kutcher actually wearing a toupee most of the movie?
Yes the movie had some laughs....Ha Ha Ha....
And overall it had a very positive message: Marriage is a good thing...you may have to work out the kinks...but it is well worth it!
Good date flick...
Lake Bell most definitely added flavor as a scrumpcious side dish. She was just awesome!
And where the hell has Rob Corddry been hiding all these years! He suddenly emerges and co-stars in three top hit comedies...(Heartbreak Kid, Harold and Kumar escape from Guantanamo Bay, and this one) and he was much funnier than Ashton!
And is it just me or was Ashton Kutcher actually wearing a toupee most of the movie?
Yes the movie had some laughs....Ha Ha Ha....
And overall it had a very positive message: Marriage is a good thing...you may have to work out the kinks...but it is well worth it!
Good date flick...
Friday, May 9, 2008
Go Speed Racer Go!!!!
I watched it opening night and thoroughly enjoyed it!
The things that Speed Racer is able to do with his car in this film are so far beyond anything that has ever been thought up before, that it is hard for some viewers (or should I say critics) to accept.
He can do flips, grind it on the edge of the track, jump, defend other friendly drivers, bump other cars off the track. I mean just thinking up the moves that that car does in the movie is truly remarkable!
The level of visual creativity has gone beyond what anyone could have predicted!
After reading some of the brutal reviews I got to thinking and analyzing how could this be? How could a movie this creative recieve such reviews? It boggles my mind. So I went to watch the film again today just to see if I could wrap my wits around it.
And ironically I concluded that these overcritical critics are paralleling the villains in the movie itself! The core of the plot- Small family owned business goes up against monster corporation threatening to devour all in its path. In the movie itself Speed Racer and his family are villified by the media- which is nothing more than a controlled voicepiece for the big corporations. So these movie critics are just following suit. Another theory is that they are just so lost in their conservative ways and the status quo of samo samo action movies that Speed Racer went off of their radar, and they weren't even able to percieve its brilliance!
Speed stands for fair competition, and love of the sport. His example is inspirational to anyone in any field! And my god it was fun to watch!
He remained true to his goals, and kept his integrity clean.
Great story! Great for kids! And I loved it too!
The things that Speed Racer is able to do with his car in this film are so far beyond anything that has ever been thought up before, that it is hard for some viewers (or should I say critics) to accept.
He can do flips, grind it on the edge of the track, jump, defend other friendly drivers, bump other cars off the track. I mean just thinking up the moves that that car does in the movie is truly remarkable!
The level of visual creativity has gone beyond what anyone could have predicted!
After reading some of the brutal reviews I got to thinking and analyzing how could this be? How could a movie this creative recieve such reviews? It boggles my mind. So I went to watch the film again today just to see if I could wrap my wits around it.
And ironically I concluded that these overcritical critics are paralleling the villains in the movie itself! The core of the plot- Small family owned business goes up against monster corporation threatening to devour all in its path. In the movie itself Speed Racer and his family are villified by the media- which is nothing more than a controlled voicepiece for the big corporations. So these movie critics are just following suit. Another theory is that they are just so lost in their conservative ways and the status quo of samo samo action movies that Speed Racer went off of their radar, and they weren't even able to percieve its brilliance!
Speed stands for fair competition, and love of the sport. His example is inspirational to anyone in any field! And my god it was fun to watch!
He remained true to his goals, and kept his integrity clean.
Great story! Great for kids! And I loved it too!
Monday, May 5, 2008
REDBELT very big surprise!
This is a movie I had heard NOTHING about whatsoever. The first I heard anything about it was was when I was walking in to see Ironman, there was a promotional stand showing some still shots of some of its scenes, and it sai REDBELT on it. I took a look and it caught my eye.
I read a synopsis, and decided to go watch it.
This movie packs a hell of a punch.
It centers around the Jujitsu sport/martial art form. Our star is married to a beautiful Brazilian babe, who he presumably met when he was down in Brazil learning the moves under the Master Sensei. The Brazilian culture has embraced this martial art form and therefore the film has its share of Brazilian actors in it. This gives the movie a very fresh, new feel since brazilian actors seldom get into the mainstream silverscreen. Our primary "Belleza" Alice Braga shines in this film, bringing to life the Brazilian passion we like to see.
The story is very unusual, and it is fast paced. Believe me it is not a predictable story at all, things change so fast, that you simply have to enjoy the ride.
It is a film that juxtaposes greed, and honesty, and in showing us one interpretation their various facets, allows us to reflect and see that the choices that this Jujitsu Master, convincingly portrayed by Chiwetel Ejiofor has to make are not dissimilar to the smaller less dramatic choices each and every one of us face every day.
I truly recommend this movie, it is heartfelt and deep.
I read a synopsis, and decided to go watch it.
This movie packs a hell of a punch.
It centers around the Jujitsu sport/martial art form. Our star is married to a beautiful Brazilian babe, who he presumably met when he was down in Brazil learning the moves under the Master Sensei. The Brazilian culture has embraced this martial art form and therefore the film has its share of Brazilian actors in it. This gives the movie a very fresh, new feel since brazilian actors seldom get into the mainstream silverscreen. Our primary "Belleza" Alice Braga shines in this film, bringing to life the Brazilian passion we like to see.
The story is very unusual, and it is fast paced. Believe me it is not a predictable story at all, things change so fast, that you simply have to enjoy the ride.
It is a film that juxtaposes greed, and honesty, and in showing us one interpretation their various facets, allows us to reflect and see that the choices that this Jujitsu Master, convincingly portrayed by Chiwetel Ejiofor has to make are not dissimilar to the smaller less dramatic choices each and every one of us face every day.
I truly recommend this movie, it is heartfelt and deep.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay
If this movie were not a complete "let's go get stoned! It's cool!" advertisement, I would recommend it as a comedy.
Overlooking that one drawback I will say that it was funnier than the original Harold and Kumar go to White Castle, perhaps due to the extreme situations they put themselves in.
No race goes un-insulted in this one. Each ethnicity gets jabbed at from one angle or another at some point in the film. This is truly what makes the film funny. It takes one outside the social box, and allows us all to laugh at some of the stupidities that have become stereotypes, and some of the realities we accept in our melting-pot culture.
A positive message of tolerance actually emerges out of all of this racial irony.
If you want to have some laughs go see it, but please don't be persuaded to go and smoke marijuana afterwards.
Overlooking that one drawback I will say that it was funnier than the original Harold and Kumar go to White Castle, perhaps due to the extreme situations they put themselves in.
No race goes un-insulted in this one. Each ethnicity gets jabbed at from one angle or another at some point in the film. This is truly what makes the film funny. It takes one outside the social box, and allows us all to laugh at some of the stupidities that have become stereotypes, and some of the realities we accept in our melting-pot culture.
A positive message of tolerance actually emerges out of all of this racial irony.
If you want to have some laughs go see it, but please don't be persuaded to go and smoke marijuana afterwards.
IRONMAN - It Delivered!
I went to see it opening night at the Arclight Hollywood Cinerama Dome. It was the 12:01 AM sold-out showing. When I walked into the ticket line I noticed an oddity, no one was in line. The center of attention had shifted to the center of the room. I looked around and spotted some secret service security looking dude, undercover, with an earpiece and I thought, ok...where is the big celeb?
I then looked to the right and saw a huge fellow wearing a Dallas Cowboys jersey. I recognized him from the film Swingers- it was Jon Favreau! The director! I let my eyes continue their Terminator-esque scan, allowing my inborn facial recognition software to do its job and voila! standing next to Jon was Ironman himself Robert Downey Jr !
Ok, no big deal! so I go in, sit down, the crowd is excited. Now keep in mind this is a Thursday night, and there are about a thousand people here to watch a comic book movie. To introduce the film, Jon comes out, announces Robert Downey Jr. who gives a little speech, the crowd responds very well to this little unexpected extra, and then the movie starts!
I have to say that I liked it a lot!
Our hero's pivotal realization that selling weapons is not the solution to world peace is a message I cannot agree with more.
The special effects are awesome, and really put you there. Very engaging visual effects!
The display of gadgetry is truly out of this world, fun for the whole family! Robert Downey Jr. adds his own sense of humor and style to the role, and I must say I can find no flaws there. Gwyneth Paltrow was hot as usual, but I don't think she was utilized to her fullest.
Was it the best superhero movie ever? I would not go that far....But it certainly was entertaining as hell!! And it definitely will take its rightfully earned place up there with all the other cool superhero movies. If I had to rate it myself, I'd say, it was not as good as Batman Begins, as good as Spiderman and better than Superman Returns, and Fantastic 4! How's that for a rating? Go enjoy it!!
I then looked to the right and saw a huge fellow wearing a Dallas Cowboys jersey. I recognized him from the film Swingers- it was Jon Favreau! The director! I let my eyes continue their Terminator-esque scan, allowing my inborn facial recognition software to do its job and voila! standing next to Jon was Ironman himself Robert Downey Jr !
Ok, no big deal! so I go in, sit down, the crowd is excited. Now keep in mind this is a Thursday night, and there are about a thousand people here to watch a comic book movie. To introduce the film, Jon comes out, announces Robert Downey Jr. who gives a little speech, the crowd responds very well to this little unexpected extra, and then the movie starts!
I have to say that I liked it a lot!
Our hero's pivotal realization that selling weapons is not the solution to world peace is a message I cannot agree with more.
The special effects are awesome, and really put you there. Very engaging visual effects!
The display of gadgetry is truly out of this world, fun for the whole family! Robert Downey Jr. adds his own sense of humor and style to the role, and I must say I can find no flaws there. Gwyneth Paltrow was hot as usual, but I don't think she was utilized to her fullest.
Was it the best superhero movie ever? I would not go that far....But it certainly was entertaining as hell!! And it definitely will take its rightfully earned place up there with all the other cool superhero movies. If I had to rate it myself, I'd say, it was not as good as Batman Begins, as good as Spiderman and better than Superman Returns, and Fantastic 4! How's that for a rating? Go enjoy it!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
