What the hell? I never heard of this film, besides being on my list. A co-worker kept going on and on about it and how could I not have seen the bagillion ads for it?
Anyway, it was released, I viewed and now I write. Frankly, it's a run of the mill spy thriller. it tries so hard to keeps the viewer interested but I just didn't care.
No real reason I guess but maybe this theme is over done. We've seen it a few times this year, in different forms mind you. We have some good actors striving for gold and they do a fine job.
No real complaints besides the slight boredom problem. I wouldn't waste my money on a theatrical viewing but a rental might be worth your time.
Entertainment Value - 2.5 / 5
Movie - 2.5 /5
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Where in the World is Osama Bin Ladan (Limited Release)
I wanted to see this opening day while i was in NCY but the cloest theater showing it was way too far out of my way so now many months later we have the dvd release and me being able to view the film.
I loved Super Size Me so I really had high hopes for this film. Maybe the marketing was wrong or maybe I was confused but the film has little to do with what one would assume and it's more of a political statement, and about our heroes near born child which during most of the film isn't born yet.
Either way I couldn't help but feel bored. Sure it has some funny bits but nothing amazing. It often goes towards the path of the cheese so even that hinders my view on it a little.
I can't recommend this one at all and that makes me rather sad. I guess it might be worth a viewing if that it's like your favorite genre but I'm giving this a total full fledged pass.
Entertainment Value - 2/5
Movie - 1.5 /5
I loved Super Size Me so I really had high hopes for this film. Maybe the marketing was wrong or maybe I was confused but the film has little to do with what one would assume and it's more of a political statement, and about our heroes near born child which during most of the film isn't born yet.
Either way I couldn't help but feel bored. Sure it has some funny bits but nothing amazing. It often goes towards the path of the cheese so even that hinders my view on it a little.
I can't recommend this one at all and that makes me rather sad. I guess it might be worth a viewing if that it's like your favorite genre but I'm giving this a total full fledged pass.
Entertainment Value - 2/5
Movie - 1.5 /5
The Longshots
I don't like sports. Well, hockey amuses me with its violence. otherwise sports bore me to tears and the sappy crap films about them are even worse than watching Tiger Woods swing a stick at a ball for hours and hours.
Ice Cube has mean torturing us with crappy films, so unoirignal one questions how they got green lighted and then this turd comes out. Not only is the title so lame and feels like 1000000 other films but it some how fails to do anything remotely inetresting.
The film isn't funny, it's not cute and cuddly and I'll admit it now but The game Plan was a million times better than this film. It actually feels like they didn't even try. Like they didn't want the film to be anything more than a steaming pile of nothing.
Avoid the film but hey... We all know what demographic this film is geared at... When's the next Tyler Perry film? He let's me down far less than ice Cube...
Entertainment Value - 1/5
Movie - .5/ 5
Ice Cube has mean torturing us with crappy films, so unoirignal one questions how they got green lighted and then this turd comes out. Not only is the title so lame and feels like 1000000 other films but it some how fails to do anything remotely inetresting.
The film isn't funny, it's not cute and cuddly and I'll admit it now but The game Plan was a million times better than this film. It actually feels like they didn't even try. Like they didn't want the film to be anything more than a steaming pile of nothing.
Avoid the film but hey... We all know what demographic this film is geared at... When's the next Tyler Perry film? He let's me down far less than ice Cube...
Entertainment Value - 1/5
Movie - .5/ 5
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Hamlet 2
Hamlet 2 makes me realize a couple things about the people who live in America. First of all, this film is marketed solely for the song Rock me Sexy jesus, yes it's funny, but it sets the whole movie up as the next Juno or Miss Sunshine. The problem is that it's neither of those films.
Hamlet 2 is a spoof of the school movies like Dangerous Minds and the other crap. It really does try to be it's own film and you have to give it credit for that. The problem is that the acting is a little too off the wall bad and I know it's on purpose because I know Coogan is a better actor than this.
It's one thing to be over the top but the film almost fails at it. I was the only person in the theater hooting at half of the stuff in the movie, which I found funny but maybe it's because I'm a movie buff.
The other problem is that I work with people who actually asked me "There's a Hamlet 1?" Really? You so did not just ask me that did you? I personally have never read Hamlet, I saw a film of it but I at least know what it is. Isn't Hamlet a staple of all high schools required reading anyway?
Either way hamlet tries and it does have heart, in the end anyway. Some might be offended by the latio, jew and jesus jokes but you know what, get the fuck over it. You're religion and ethnic background isn't the only thing that is ever made fun of.
I can't give the film a whole hearted recommendation but I enjoyed it for what it was. See it if you want but it might be more suited for a dvd viewing.
Entertainment Value - 2/5
Movie - 2.5 /5
Hamlet 2 is a spoof of the school movies like Dangerous Minds and the other crap. It really does try to be it's own film and you have to give it credit for that. The problem is that the acting is a little too off the wall bad and I know it's on purpose because I know Coogan is a better actor than this.
It's one thing to be over the top but the film almost fails at it. I was the only person in the theater hooting at half of the stuff in the movie, which I found funny but maybe it's because I'm a movie buff.
The other problem is that I work with people who actually asked me "There's a Hamlet 1?" Really? You so did not just ask me that did you? I personally have never read Hamlet, I saw a film of it but I at least know what it is. Isn't Hamlet a staple of all high schools required reading anyway?
Either way hamlet tries and it does have heart, in the end anyway. Some might be offended by the latio, jew and jesus jokes but you know what, get the fuck over it. You're religion and ethnic background isn't the only thing that is ever made fun of.
I can't give the film a whole hearted recommendation but I enjoyed it for what it was. See it if you want but it might be more suited for a dvd viewing.
Entertainment Value - 2/5
Movie - 2.5 /5
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Brideshead Revisted (Limtied Release)
This film came out of nowhere. Saw it was playing and due to me being confused on times it was the only thing playing. I had read up on it the night before so I knew it was about love and religion. I like one and not the other.
Maybe it's the main characters thoughts and beliefs that struck me as my own but this is the first movie this year that screams for an Oscar nom and it's easily the best film of 2008 so far.
The acting is fantastic. The father figures are sarcastic to a fault and it had me laughing with their demeanor. The idea of the film is simple. Our main character wants to be a painter and heads off to school. He meets a man and they visit his home, Brideshead. There he finds out that the family is very Catholic and our guy falsl for his friends sister.
That's as vague as I can be without ruining anything. The plot flows and before I knew it the 2 hour 15 minute run time was over and I was sad to see it end. The ending itself is also very strong with a simple image leaving a lot up to the viewer to decide. Not as much as No Country For Old men so don't worry about being lost (or so my co-workers say about NCFOM).
Either way i highly recommend this film. If it's playing near you then do yourself a favor and check it out. You may not believe in what its saying or what it might say about your religion but it's still an engrossing tale.
Entertainment Value - 4/5
Movie - 5/5
Maybe it's the main characters thoughts and beliefs that struck me as my own but this is the first movie this year that screams for an Oscar nom and it's easily the best film of 2008 so far.
The acting is fantastic. The father figures are sarcastic to a fault and it had me laughing with their demeanor. The idea of the film is simple. Our main character wants to be a painter and heads off to school. He meets a man and they visit his home, Brideshead. There he finds out that the family is very Catholic and our guy falsl for his friends sister.
That's as vague as I can be without ruining anything. The plot flows and before I knew it the 2 hour 15 minute run time was over and I was sad to see it end. The ending itself is also very strong with a simple image leaving a lot up to the viewer to decide. Not as much as No Country For Old men so don't worry about being lost (or so my co-workers say about NCFOM).
Either way i highly recommend this film. If it's playing near you then do yourself a favor and check it out. You may not believe in what its saying or what it might say about your religion but it's still an engrossing tale.
Entertainment Value - 4/5
Movie - 5/5
Swing Vote
I enjoy most Costner films. Hell, The Postman was rather good IMO but one one of a few. This looked like an alright idea. A man is the deciding vote on who becomes president. It shows some funny ideas but the biggest flaws comes from me figuring the ending out right away because it's the only way it can end.
That's not fair though because the film has a lot going on. It's sub-plot feels more like the focus and maybe the intention of the film isn't as clear cut as one would think from it's theme and title.
The acting is good but Costner seems to like the white trash a bit too much and god some of those trailer images haunt me from friends houses during school. All in all I found the film enjoyable and regret not supporting it sooner. If your theater is still playing this then by all means check it out.
Entertainment Value - 3.5 /5
Movie 3.5 /5
That's not fair though because the film has a lot going on. It's sub-plot feels more like the focus and maybe the intention of the film isn't as clear cut as one would think from it's theme and title.
The acting is good but Costner seems to like the white trash a bit too much and god some of those trailer images haunt me from friends houses during school. All in all I found the film enjoyable and regret not supporting it sooner. If your theater is still playing this then by all means check it out.
Entertainment Value - 3.5 /5
Movie 3.5 /5
My Sassy Girl (Bonus Review)
I love the original film. It's a total tear jerker with the cliff scene. I was torn when I heard this was being remade so here we are with it going direct to video, which is never a good thing.
The problem is that this film doesn't work here in the States. Plain and simple truth really. The female lead comes off as apeshit crazy rather than damaged goods. The lead is a total pansy this time, and the acting makes it almost painful.
Gone is the pure charm of the original film and while this one is still moderately funny, it isn't nearly as good as the original source material, yet it copies almost everything.
The original used a fun idea of the female lead writing crazy off the wall stories. in this she re-writes "classic" films. It's amusing but the acting is so bad (on purpose I hope).
I'm torn on even letting my co-worker borrow this as it kind of taints the original and the quirkyness comes off all wrong in this. Fans should avoid it but if the trailer amuses you then check it out and then see the original Korean version.
Entertainment Value - 2/5
Movie - 2/5
The problem is that this film doesn't work here in the States. Plain and simple truth really. The female lead comes off as apeshit crazy rather than damaged goods. The lead is a total pansy this time, and the acting makes it almost painful.
Gone is the pure charm of the original film and while this one is still moderately funny, it isn't nearly as good as the original source material, yet it copies almost everything.
The original used a fun idea of the female lead writing crazy off the wall stories. in this she re-writes "classic" films. It's amusing but the acting is so bad (on purpose I hope).
I'm torn on even letting my co-worker borrow this as it kind of taints the original and the quirkyness comes off all wrong in this. Fans should avoid it but if the trailer amuses you then check it out and then see the original Korean version.
Entertainment Value - 2/5
Movie - 2/5
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