Tag: review

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.

Another weekend and another movie. This time it was the Chinese epic, Hero. If you loved Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, then this one is for you. A blend of martial arts, Chinese history and a star-crossed love story, Hero goes for all. I rather liked it, but why are these things so melodramatic.

4 of 5 stars.