The Transporter

IMDB link: The Transporter
Source: Netflix
Date viewed: November 29, 2005

This movie is terrible. There are some cool scenes, and a couple new ideas for choreographed fighting, but the writing and acting are just awful. I wanted to see it because I thought that the trailer for "Transporter 2" looked good, and I thought that I should probably see the original before seeing the sequel and, well, you know how Netflix is - you put something on the queue and eventually it shows up in the mailbox and you watch it. I'll tell you one thing though, "Transporter 2" will not be showing up in the mailbox unless one of you out there has a very, very strong argument. - T

About what you'd expect. I enjoyed the action scenes, but the "character development" left a lot to be desired. Of course, you don't really need character development when you have the pectoral development that Jason Statham has. - A

Les Rivières Pourpres II, Les Anges de l'Apocalypse

IMDB link: Les Rivières Pourpres II, Les Anges de l'Apocalypse
Source: Netflix
Date viewed: November 23, 2005

Why oh why, you might rightly ask, are you reading a review of this sequel on this site? Mais qu'est que c'est que ce bordel? It's due to a Netflix shipping error, but I won't go into that now. Nor will I go into depth about this movie, except to say that it's a ridiculously twisted religious thriller. Christopher Lee (Saruman and Dooku, for you geeks) (his biography on IMDB is actually very interesting) speaks some very good French, and the new sidekick for Reno is pretty good. I actually think I liked this film better than the first one. Maybe it was that there were slightly fewer empty eye sockets, or maybe it was because of Camille Natta. She can enrapture me straight to the apocalypse anytime! - T

I, too, liked this film better than the first, despite the missing Vincent Cassel. But it still wasn't great. Many holes in the far-fetched plot line. But, I enjoyed watching Reno. Have I mentioned that I just love it when he speaks French? - A

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

IMDB link: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Source: cinema
Date viewed: November 22, 2005

Harry Potter and the Gobs of Money! God I hate this franchise. Not quite as much as I hated the Lord of the Rings, and I comforted myself at times during the movie by telling myself that at least I didn't have to see Samwise Ganges, or whatever his name was, but then I saw Ron Weasley on screen, and things were once again as black as Snape's cape. One bright spot was the return of Moaning Myrtle - How I love her. Aside from that, we have only the same old questions, "Will Harry be the fourth entrant in a competition meant for only three? Will there be a big showdown with some demon or demi-god, or whatever? (And by the way, who knew that was Ralph Fiennes?!!?) Will the violins swell? Will Hermoine get the boy? Will there be a sequel? You'd better believe it! - T

Liked it. Mad Eye Moody was very good. - A

Pride & Prejudice

IMDB link: Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Source: cinema
Date viewed: November 12, 2005

To my surprise, I enjoyed this new version of an old favorite. Many of the characters were well played, especially Charles Bingley and Mr. Collins. Wickham was certainly a lot better looking, and more appealing than in the A&E version. The shortening was fairly well handled, although I did miss Mr. Hurst. There were a few liberties taken with the original, which modernized the dialogue and the story in a way I don't really consider necessary, but what am I to do on the occasion? I don't love the look of Keira Knightly, but I thought she acted the part well. Why they felt they had to dress her in sack-cloth every day, and have her lick her fingers so often at meal times I'll never know. - A

Very enjoyable. The characters are almost unanimously more beautiful than in the A&E version, (except, perhaps, for Bingley's sister) which is a good start, and they actually managed to create a Mr. Collins and a Mr. Bingley that were at least as good as the A&E versions. As for the lovely Keira Knightly licking her fingers, I direct you to a quote from another Jane Austen adaptation, Clueless, "anything that draws attention to the mouth is good." - T

Les Rivieres Pourpres

IMDB link: Les Rivieres Pourpres (2000)
Source: Netflix
Date viewed: November 11, 2005

If I had to choose one word to describe this movie, it would be grisly - which I don't really like. However, I love the two main actors. Their presence carried me through what was otherwise a fair-to-middling gross-out picture. The story line was weak, but I thought the suspense-building was good. Others may disagree. Vincent Cassel was quite amusing. Not Reno's best. -A

Overwrought, convoluted and pointless. - T.

The Pink Panther

IMDB link: The Pink Panther (1963)
Date viewed: October 27, 2005
Source: Netflix

Kind of a nice period piece, but only really funny when Sellers was on screen. -A

I don't think I had ever seen this one before. Sellers is quite good, only occasionally going overboard with the gags. - T