Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

IMDB link: Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
Source: Netflix
Date viewed: October 24, 2006

I'm embarrassed to admit that I put this on the queue. I'm not even a big fan of Angelina Jolie, I just thought it might be interesting to see it. I was wrong. It's not interesting. It's awful. - T

Poor. - A

The Sting

IMDB link: The Sting
Source: Netflix
Date viewed: October 18, 2006

Holds up well. Who doesn't enjoy seeing these two? - T

A little on the "fixed" side, but still quite entertaining. - A

Les Parapluies de Cherbourg

IMDB link: Les Parapluies de Cherbourg
Source: Borrowed from Rich
Date viewed: October 14, 2006

(to the tune of "Blue Moon")
Ce film, est un peu quotidien,
mais comme chaque mot est chanté,
je l'aimais bien quand même.
L'histoire d'amour est très "français,"
où tout ne va pas "O.K.,"
mais la vie est parfois comme ça.
- T

Meme s'il semblerait qu'un film qui n'avait que le dialogue chante serait insupportable, ce n'est pas le cas ici. On s'y habitue tres vite, et c'est parfois assez beau. L'histoire d'amour a un soupcon de melancolie, mais tout s'arrange a la fin. - A

The Libertine

IMDB link: The Libertine
Source: Netflix
Date viewed: October 12, 2006

This was interesting. Grainy film depicting a gritty time. Was it really like that? Includes profanity that you don't often hear in a Hollywood picture. Depp and Malkovitch are good, as usual. - T

I liked this movie. It was gritty, and quite a bit icky in parts, but philosophically interesting. Let's all thank our lucky stars for sewers, and clean running water at the twist of a tap. - A

Girl with a Pearl Earring

IMDB link: Girl with a Pearl Earring
Source: Netflix
Date viewed: October 12, 2006

I didn't much care for this. It just seemed slow and without purpose. - T

Boring and fairly useless. I read the book, which had a little more going for it, but that's not saying much. - A

The Devil Wears Prada

IMDB link: The Devil Wears Prada
Source: Cinema
Date viewed: October 10, 2006

Predictable. Annoying. Not worth the time. Without Stanley Tucci it would be utterly irredeemable. - T

Weak. One of the worst features was the droning predictability of the storyline. And Meryl Streep's role didn't give her much room to act; it was rather "johnny-one-note." Most of the supporting cast was dull as dishwater, with the notable exception, as Tom says, of Stanley Tucci, and the boyfriend's eyes. - A

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

IMDB link: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Source: Cinema
Date viewed: October 7, 2006

This is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. - T

I laughed and laughed. I pray to the tiny 8 lb 6 oz baby Jesus that you'll see this movie. - A

Match Point

IMDB link: Match Point
Source: Netflix
Date viewed: October 5, 2006

I thought this was very, very good. Not at all funny (it's Woody Allen), but a very well written and cohesive story. Nice performances by the principals. - T

Disturbing, but interesting story. Well acted, for the most part. I had a little trouble with Jonathan Rhys Meyers; I just didn't buy his passionate side. So cold, apparently. - A

The Family Stone

IMDB link: The Family Stone
Source: Netflix
Date viewed: October 4, 2006

[SPOILER ALERT - I give away some things in this review.] This wasn't so great, mostly because Sarah Jessica Parker is so G.D. annoying. Sure, she's supposed to be annoying, but she really went overboard. And another thing, she gets drunk one time, lets her hair down, and her personality changes completely? Give me a break. She doesn't deserve the ending she gets, and neither does her fiancé. Luke Wilson is good, as always, but he is overshadowed by a so-so story. - T

I enjoyed this movie, except for Sarah Jessica Parker, who I find irritating and unattractive. The other characters were good, and I liked the interaction among the family members. Despite the intended upheaval and strife of the circumstances and events depicted in the film, there was no escaping the too-perfect conclusion. - A

Nell

IMDB link: Nell
Source: Netflix
Date viewed: September 29, 2006

OK, I think it's already been established in this blog that I'm a sucker for Jodie Foster, so when I say that I actually enjoyed this movie, you can take that for what it's worth. So she speaks only in a made-up pidgin... so what? It was an odd story - only loosely based on other "found child" stories - and ultimately that ended up annoying me, for some reason. If you can only see one "found child" movie, make it "The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser," but if you can see two, and you love Jodie as much as I do, go ahead and see this one too. - T

Hated it. Especially Nell's "special language." My recommendation, if you love Jodie, stay away. -A

The OH in Ohio

IMDB link: The OH in Ohio
Source: cinema
Date viewed: September 25, 2006

Parker Posey can do no wrong. And come to think of it, Danny DeVito and Paul Rudd are consistently good as well. Even with a couple over-the-top (or should I say "climactic") moments, this movie was still good. The unusual subject matter reminded me of Jonathan Waters, and that's never a bad thing. - T

I liked it. Interesting message about love. A little goofy in places. - A

The Fast and the Furious

IMDB link: The Fast and the Furious
Source: Netflix
Date viewed: August 26, 2006

For the first fifteen or so minutes, this was vying for "worst movie ever" status, but once the story got going, it actually got somewhat interesting. No really, it did. Vin Diesel might be the best actor in the movie, although that's not saying much. - T

Vin Diesel really did grow on me as the movie progressed, but the acting was poor, at best. Some of the driving and car stuff was cool. - A

Who Killed the Electric Car?

IMDB link: Who Killed the Electric Car?
Source: cinema
Date viewed: August 17, 2006

Depressing. I would like to see definitive studies about the pollution difference between a regular gas-powered engine's emissions and the output from a coal-fed electric plant required to propel an electric vehicle the same number of miles. I'm not saying that electric cars aren't good for inner-city smog, noise, etc., but I don't particularly love the idea of more of our power coming from coal. It might be a wash, I don't know. (Did you realize that over 50% of America's energy already comes from coal?) Also, Mel Gibson is a total weirdo. - T

Sad, sad, sad. Even if 3/4 of the movie is poo-pooed, or disputed, it's still very sad. Greed, privilege, and egotism carry the day once again. - A

The Da Vinci Code

IMDB link: The Da Vinci Code
Source: cinema
Date viewed: August 2, 2006

I can say without reservation that this is my favorie Ron Howard film. An enjoyable thriller. Ian McKellan is good, as always, and Hanks and Tatou work well together, too. - T

I enjoyed the movie. I read the book, and although the movie didn't follow the book exactly, I thought it captured the essentials of the plot line, and added a nice little bit of skepticism about the central topic for the critics. - A

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

IMDB link: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Source: cinema
Date viewed: July 19, 2006

As likeable as the first Pirates movie. The additions of Bill Nighy and Naomie Harris were both welcome. I was never exactly sure of what was going on, but in the end it doesn't make much difference. - T

I had no trouble following the plot line, but I didn't think the story was as good as the first time out. The principal actors didn't interact much, which I thought was too bad. But, they were adequate to the tasks set them, and, as Tom mentioned, some of the new supporting characters were very good. - A