Sunday, June 15, 2008

I'm Not There

IMDB: I'm Not There
Source: Rob & Beth
Date viewed: June 13, 2008

I'll start with the good - Cate Blanchett is now my favorite actor. Now the bad - I have the same problem with this that I had with "The Queen" and every other bio-pic; I want to know how real it is. Sure, I know, it's not supposed to be a biography, but face it, it is one. It's a film about a famous, living person. The splitting of his personality seemed unnecessary. I don't know, it just didn't sing to me. - T

Meh. - A

Iron Man

IMDB: Iron Man
Source: Cinema
Date viewed: June 10, 2008

Excellent. I want red hair. - T

Go see it! Robert Downey, Jr. proves his mettle. - A

Sunday, June 08, 2008

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

IMDB: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Source: Netflix
Date viewed: June 7, 2008

I still liked Depp as Jack Sparrow, but most of the rest of the crew should have been made to walk the plank. Keira Knightly looks plastic and acts brassy. Orlando Bloom is still shipshape, but didn't have a decent part to play. The character of Will Turner's father is unsightly, boring, insipid and maudlin. I usually love Bill Nighy, but he takes the wrong tack with his accent and enunciation. The story is more complicated than a double crown knot and the movie is way too long - 2 hours and 49 minutes! The special effects aren't *that* good. And the ending [SPOILER] didn't completely rule out a fourth movie - shiver me timbers! - A

Just like in the last one, I had no idea what was going on, but again, it didn't really matter. I enjoy watching Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush and the others. Depp's first scene is nicely surreal, but the hallucinations got a little old later on. Overall, it's about 45 minutes too long, but still, I just can't hate it. - T

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

IMDB: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Source: Cinema
Date viewed: June 3, 2008

First of all, I want to say that I hate John Williams. Second of all, I hate Steven Spielberg. And lastly, although it kind of pains me to say it, I now hate George Lucas. I've never been so sorry to have seen a movie. This was just terrible. I feel I have to say, however, that Cate Blanchett did not embarrass herself. Nor did Harrison Ford. And I just can't hate Karen Allen, no matter what she does. But the boy - I could have done without him. And the cheap, artless writing. And the schlocky, over-the-top sentimentality. And the endless repetition of the most basic plot elements. WE GET IT! THEY'RE NOT FROM AROUND HERE!!! If you have any fondness for this series, save yourselves and go to see something else. - T

Kingdom of the Crystal Skull by the numbers: 3,265,442 people-eating fire ants with an aversion to crystal skulls; 8,843 skeleton props; 34 miraculous escapes from very tight spots in which most people would normally have been killed, or at least bruised; 19 oh-so-cute animatronic gophers; 13 aliens (or is that 1?); 3 laughs; 2 big-name weirdos responsible for the whole thing ; 1 bad movie. - A