I think this is my opinion on it
This weekend caught American Dreamz (1 of 5 stars, thoughts on film coming) at the AMC movie house furthest from my house but within 2 miles of another one. That is another story. Before the movie began, though they played this commercial for American Express cards featuring Wes Anderson of Rushmore fame. Watch it. Like me, you’ll wonder when the Wilson brothers will show up.
I just wrote that title as “Thank You For Not Smoking,” but caught myself before the major faux pas.
Well, to pass Easter Sunday off and to load up on even more food while doing nothing, I caught Thank You For Smoking at a pricey matinee. I got the student discount, but damn the prices went up.
The movie was a riot. It is all the things that you think the big tobacco does to promote their stuff. The guy is that dude who “can pick up any girl at any time.” Slimy. A lobbyist. I laughed plenty all the way through. They came up with ways to spin things that were outrageous but funny. It is cynical.
4 of 5 stars.
As promised.
V for Vendetta is an adaptation of the Alan Moore graphic novel of the same name. I have read the book. The themes are the same, but something has changed. The graphic novel is a rant against the Thatcher England. Think, fascism in the UK, and the Clash singing, “Clampdown.” That was the milleau that the comic was written in.
The movie is also a product of its times. Although, it was still set in London, it really is an indictment of the Bush adminisitration. Everything this corrupt White House spouts is reflected in the fascistic government of the film. The party line espoused by the media. The corrupt church. Torture of people. Demonizing gays. That’s all the Bush admin is about.
This movie was subversive. One man’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter.
4 of 5 stars.
Show Me Love or in its original swedish title, Fucking Åmål, is something else. Actually, it’s really a swedish, teenage angst, lesbian flick. Some categorize it as a romance picture, but it is a brutally, honest portrayal of coming to grips with love. Even if it is with the same gender. The emotions are all real. The actresses are natural. The story is sweet and tender. Although, they didn’t have to literally come out of the closet at the end. Symbolism failed the director, and it just seemed corny. I wonder what happens with them afterwards?
As far as swedish, teenage angst, lesbian flicks go, Show Me Love is all heart.
Lukas Moodysson also directed Lilya 4-Ever another brutal emotional story. These two films have kept me up at night.
4 of 5 stars.
PS: Someday soon I will get to writing my V for Vendetta review but for now consider it another 4 of 5 stars movie.
I have been a home owner for coming on three years now. So basically, I left home when I was 32. Matthew McConaughey’s character is still living at home in Failure To Launch at the age of “35.” Sarah Jessica Parker is supposed to lure him from that situation, but instead falls in love with him. Some things happen. Other things happen. He gets bitten by animals. And Zooey Deschanel steals the show.
I liked this film better than I expected to. It was the first time in a long while that Sarah Jessica Parker was not in a role that made her be an uptight shrew. She was decent.
They wrapped the romantic comedy around some nut job action that is similar to Something About Mary or Wedding Crashers. Unlike Wedding Crashers which started as comedy and ended in mush. Failure to Launch starts out mushy and ends in some hilarity.
3 of 5 stars.
Just wrapped up watching 13 Going on 30. In my $0.02 summary, I said it was an “unbelievable story, but it sucks you in.”
First, it was hard to believe. For one thing, I don’t think a 13 year old in 1987 would’ve been dancing to Micheal Jackson’s Thriller. Didn’t that come out in 1982? She was a couple of years behind the curve. Perhaps the original writer placed it then, but then the movie wasn’t produced until later and the Thriller scenes were key so they kept it in. See. It is hard to believe that teen girls would still be interested in Micheal in 1987. It would’ve been better if they did Bad.
Second, it was hard to believe that the magazine would’ve wanted to do her idea. Especially, something so drastic. Plus, what demographic was Poise targetting? It looked like 16 magazine, yet that other girl’s other idea seemed to be targeted at young adults. Hunh?
Lastly, I get sucked into these remorseful, wistful stories. I always like looking back. I felt it right here. That thread keeps this movie from sinking to 2 stars. And Jennifer Garner was totally cute in it.
3 of 5 stars.
I wish I could be as clever as the dude who wrote the two word review for Spinal Tap’s Shark Sandwich album. “Shit sandwich.” This was as lame as they come. For the first time in my life, I really wanted to get up and leave, and I wondered why no one else was doing the same.
I thought it was going to be the good type of bad that was Catwoman, but it was really a bad kind of bad. The type that makes you wonder, on this the night the Academy hands out its awards, if Hollywood is smoking some dooby.
Ultraviolet, ultra shit.
1 of 5 stars
I’m gearing up for the upcoming summer movie season. Consider these reviews spring training. Have you noticed that the summer movie season has started earlier and earlier each year? Look at what’s coming up in March. It doesn’t officially start until Memorial Day (or is it Labor Day) in May, but there are some potential blockbusters opening soon.
Harrison Ford stars in a high tech thriller. This was an amalgamation of El Fugitivo and Air Force One. It sucked. Ford seems to be content in playing the harrassed man who has to save his family or himself. I thought it was going to be a hacker film, which would’ve saved it in my eyes, but it ended up being a thriller of un-epic proportions. Don’t watch this unless you catch it on Skinemax. Don’t order Skinemax, but wait until this shows up on TBS. Don’t Tivo it. You can catch it on broadcast TV, but only in small doses.
1 of 5 stars
Nightwatch is another movie about vampires. They should’ve had some Lycans show up. Or at least some kick ass babes. They did, but I think we’ll have to wait for the sequel to see Olga kick some ass. Then it might be awesome. Perhaps the sequel is on bittorrent already.
3 of 5 stars
Do you believe in Serendipity? As I sit here trying to write up a review of the latest flick from my Netflix queue, I don’t know. Before sitting down, I thought that the movie stunk. If it is supposed to be a romantic comedy, there was nothing funny about it. There was really nothing romantic about it. John Cusack waits until the night of his wedding to realize that he doesn’t love his fiancee, attempts find the long lost love of his life, and dumps his fiance on the altar? Excuse me, but isn’t that the opposite of romance, but really terrible and heart breaking?
I couldn’t believe it, romance, what a lark!
But then the serendipitous moment occurred. Wasn’t yesterday Valentine’s day? I missed it again. Alone naturally. And guess who starred in the flick. Kate Beckinsale! A hottie! And guess what, there’s a nice, little, untitled post up on Capitol Swell celebrating the hotness of her. And our buddy at the seed, was inspired to do a hottie countdown/roundup from that post.
So you see how fortuitous things are. I watch a supposed romantic comedy the day after Valentine’s day alone, which starred the hottie who inspired my buddy to begin his hottie countdown!
How weird is that?
By the way, I marked the movie as 2 of 5 stars.
