Tag: movies

It is getting harder to write a post when I know my writing skills are lacking. Is anyone really reading? I’ll continue on, because I am trying to better my writing skills. In this post, I will share my thoughts on two recent films, Closer and Ocean’s 12. I am remiss that I didn’t share my thoughts on Closer the past week, because I saw it last weekend. Ocean’s 12 I saw yesterday.

Closer. This was originally a play and it felt like one. Lots of dialogue and witty reparte between the characters. Each of them, I did not like. Yet, the movie kept me interested because I wanted to find out what happens to each. Who ends up with whom? The breakthrought performance was turned in by Clive Owen, but his character was a schmuck. Unlikeable and arrogant, his character ends up being the only winner. Julia Roberts has got some acting chops and it is likely that she has gained some fans for her acting rather than her supposed looks. Jude Law is Jude Law, a pretty boy. I did not understand his character’s motivation in sleeping around. It was as if the writer meant for the audience to not root for him. In the end his redemption was never to be because of Natalie Portman’s character. Was the audience supposed to find her attractive? I hated her in this. Many will write about the graphic portrayal of sex amonst adults that this film was about, and it was the most frank depiction of sex outside of a porno. This film could be thought of as an intellectual porno for the mind without the graphic display of nude bodies fucking.

Ocean’s 12. What was the heist in this? There wasn’t one, because the main heist was used as a backdrop to a contest between thieves. I found it rediculouse with its plot twists around plot twists. I still don’t understand what happened. In the first Ocean’s flick, it was about the thieves. In this one, the band of thieves is giving short play and it is about the skullduggery and back stabbing of the bad guys. Is there no honor amongst thieves? Frankly, there are huge holes in the plot. Why, for instance, do they continue with the job when they already know the outcome. This was a mediocre sequel to an already mediocre remake.

In summary: Closer – 3 of 5 stars. Ocean’s 12 – 2 of 5 stars.

Check in later as soon I shall write my end of year lists.

Caught the latest Alexander Payne movie, Sideways. You can sum this movie up in one sentence, “Swingers for the over 40 crowd.” You heard that right. Swingers. Instead of hapless actors roaming around LA looking for fun, you have a mid-40’s oenophile looking for the next bottle of pinot noir. It has the same loose, enjoyable feel. It has the same mopey main character. Can he find love? Or at least some hapiness with his life? This movie follows his journey through a week when he treats his best friend to the Napa valley before his wedding. I liked it, but was a bit too long. Surely, this film will be a critical darling.

4 of 5 stars.

What would a weekend be without a movie to be seen? This week’s movie is “Shall We Dance” featuring Richard Gere and J. Lo. The movie was a remake of a Japanese movie of the same name. The differnces were subtle, but the transition to English did not suffer although some of it became Americanized (like his choosing his wife over dancing with J. Lo.). It made me want to pick up ballroom dancing in order to pick up chicks.

3 of 5 stars.

I have seen a Jimmy Fallon movie. In the theatres. Now, I deserve to die.

Not that Taxi was bad, but the presence of this ex-SNLer with his “on the verge of laughter schtick” [hands making air quotes] sunk this movie. He was not funny. The movie had a ridiculous plot. In what world would a hot chick like Eva Mendes date Fallon’s character? Especially as his boss? Especially as policemen? Knowing especially the pathetic bond Fallon’s character had with his mom? The same one as the president’s! No. The movie did not suck. Fallon sucked.

One more thing: Gisele Bundchen. Not that hot. She has skinny thighs.

2 of 5 stars.

Finally, after a couple of weeks of less than appealing movies appearing in the theatres, along comes The Grudge. It is October, the Holloween month, so therefore at least one scary movie should show up on screen to frighten audiences.

Firstly, I can’t really watch scary movies, because I am either hiding my eyes behind my fingers missing all the scary action or averting my gaze. I don’t like the sudden jolt of the scare, and I won’t be able to go to sleep comfortably at night. So, The Grudge scared me even though we caught a matinee. I don’t know if I would’ve been able to sleep alone in my house if we caught it later that night, even so I ended up sleeping on the couch with the lights and TV on, which was even more scarier because my couch is a at the foot of my stairs, and I could imagine the Grudge ghost coming down them. Yikes!

Overall, it wasn’t that great of a scary movie. Again The X-Files already have done an episode similar to this one. A haunted house, which is usually the scene of my favorite ghost stories, manifests the evil done in it, so that residents experience it in all to physical ways. The plot is usual. The scares are alright. The non-linear story telling somewhat confusing, but useful in telling two different tales at the same time. The Grudge follows all ghost story conventions.

Questions for those who have seen it. Why is the dead wife the malevolent spirit? Wouldn’t she be trying to seek justice rather than inflicting the pain on others as was inflicted upon her? Did Sarah Michelle Gellar bite it in the end? Was the pathologist also a ghost? What happened to the other detective? The policemen on the scene? The realtor? Did they meet a grisly end? Hmmm?

3 of 5 stars.

There are PG rated movies that, while mainly catering to the preteen audience, can appeal to parents or the occasional adult who may catch it. Some of the enjoyable ones lately have featured pre-superstar, Lindsay Lohan. (Don’t believe me. Check out Parent Trap or Freaky Friday. They’re light and fun and don’t subject there older audience to mind numbingly dumb situations.) Unfortunately, First Daughter is not one. As a 33 year old male, this movie was not targeted to me, but I thought it would have at least offered something interesting. I was wrong. Even my mother, who actually saw Princess Diaries 2, thought it sucked. In the nearly empty theatre, even the older teen girls (16+ they drove) didn’t necessarily enjoy it. Although, one of them clapped when the big kiss came, but probably more from emotion than in approval of the movie.

Now I enjoy all movies I have gone to. The good. The bad. And the ugly. What little joy could be found in Katie Holmes. Though not a particularly intriguing part, she did give a performance that I liked. Bittersweetness she conveyed with those big, brown eyes. She should try to act in better movies. Another surprising thing is that the movie was filled with some recognizable actors, Micheal Keaton, that girl from ID4 who was Jeff Goldblum’s character’s estranged wife, and Lela Rochon. It was even directed by Forest Whitiker! Ghost Dog directing a preteen movie! Ghost Dog! How did this movie with this type of talent end up being bad to watch?

1 of 5 stars.