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The computer programmers and system designers in Eagle Eye should never build their system to resemble HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Just that shape alone, the iconic red, soulless eye, would signify that it is going to eventually turn on its maker. It will gain consciousness and decide to eliminate the human species because they are the problem.

The movie is hard to believe. It was setting up for a big twist ending, but never got there because they threw away reality and conjured up a big, fat, fake fantasy. If your going to make a paranoid thriller, you need tons of paranoia and a little bit of thrills. It was a movie that wanted to mix in paranoia about the government, but didn’t make anyone worried enough about how pervasive computer profiling is. I wish the Lone Gunmen were alive to make us remember that, “No matter how paranoid you are, you aren’t paranoid enough.”

The movie was good for what it was — car chases, loud noise, and quick-cut action. It’s good to let your brain wander, so that you don’t think too much about the computer profiling. Maybe, you should also be highly paranoid as well? Unfortunately, the movie plods along to a conclusion that you know is inevitable. You could plot it using a computer profile of many action flicks that have come before it.

2 of 5 stars.

Ghost Town should’ve capitalized on the spectral tone of the film and opened up closer to Halloween. Instead it opens up in the doldrums of September, barely making a peep in the b.o. chart, and sinking from sight as if it was one of the ghosts who fulfilled their wish. That’s too bad as there is some charm found within this movie.

Ricky Gervais, and his British shtick which he perfected on shows such as Extra and The UK Office, is the leading man to try and right the wrongs of ill fated Tea Leoni and Greg Kinnear. Gervais is supposed to make the ending to Leoni and Kinnear’s marriage final so that Kinnear can join the great shmucks in heaven or hell or somewhere in the afterlife that is not on Earth. Gervais is a crack up and his wit is perfect for the role of a dentist who wants nothing more than to be left alone. I imagine this will be the way some dentists imagine their humor to be. You really can’t be belly-laughing or guffawing while your dentist is drilling teeth. You can only tee-hee and force a smile through the fingers in your mouth.

I would watch anything with Tea Leoni in it, and I did. She’s one of the more unsung comediennes that never get the right role. She’s almost there, but her Egytologist doesn’t really register until her heart is broken. Someone save her and make her smile. Perhaps the dentist.

Kinnear is Kinnear. Smug. He gets Gervais to be his mouthpiece to reconcile with his ex. You can bet Kinnear is going to crack smart on Gervais. It was fun to watch American comedy versus British comedy. With Tea Leoni right in the middle. I was waiting for Rita Mae to show up or The Specials to sing their song, but it wouldn’t have happened. Too bad it may have lively up the scene.

While not a perfect romantic comedy (did the courting couple even kiss once?), it has its charms. Don’t expect too much, and you get not enough. Ghost Town was just as ephemeral as the dead guys in it.

3 of 5 stars.