The Dark Knight

IMDB: The Dark Knight

Source: Cinema

Date viewed: July 22, 2008

This is not a well-constructed story; they tried to cram in too much plot. Plus, they tacked on too much explain-y stuff at the end where it hung like a broken wing. Heath Ledger was good as the Joker, but I think his performance would have seemed better still if they had shaped up the ending. Michael Caine was entertaining as Alfred, and there were some cool special effects, but it suffered from the all-too-common pitfall of subjugating the superhero's power to the plot - something that always vexes me. - A

I really enjoyed Ledger's Joker, and the action was good, if a tiny bit flawed by the pitfall mentioned above. Overall, I enjoyed it. - T

Hancock

IMDB: Hancock

Source: Cinema

Date viewed: July 8, 2008

I agree with David Denby that Charlize Theron "gives the sexiest performance of her career," but I have to take issue with his summation that Hancock is "by far the most enjoyable big movie of the summer." That, my friend, is "Iron Man." Hancock is half a good movie. The first half is hilarious, interesting and fun to watch. The second half is schlocky and dumb. - T

I have to credit Dad for this review. His phrase sums it up perfectly: It could have been a good movie. - A

Airplane II: The Sequel

IMDB: Airplane II: The Sequel

Source: personal library

Date viewed: July 2, 2008

Airplane is hilarious, and this is more of the same kind of word-play and sight-gag humor. Stupid, but funny. - T

I love the jokes in Airplane I, and Airplane II makes liberal use of them - the good and the bad. One joke I loved was set in a courtroom. A doctor was asked to give his impression of the defendant. The guy says, "I don't do impressions, I'm a psychiatrist." Roger? Over. - A

Waitress

IMDB: Waitress

Source: Netflix

Date viewed: June 27, 2008

This film was great right up until the end. The characters were funny and interesting, the story was edgy and tense and unusual, Andy Griffith was great, but then it just kind of gave up at the end. I don't know that this is true, and it's probably horrible to suggest, but I wonder if the ending was actually written by someone else after Adrienne Shelly's death. How could it be so good for so long and then so sappy? - T

I really liked this movie until the end. The ending seemed stupid and out of step with the rest of the film. (I just read Tom's review above - great minds think alike!). The ending was a cave-in to current, politically correct mores, when it could have been so much more. Poor Adrienne will never have the chance to try again. For my views on Andy Griffith in the movie, see above. - A