Super 8

broderic on June 13, 2011

After all the bombast of the latest summer films, Super 8 was a nice respite. It doesn’t hit you over the head with action scenes after action scenes, but it builds slow like films of yesteryear, the 70s to be exact.

It harkens back to lots of movies that occurred before the advent of Michael Bay. There is not much spinning or hyper-cutting or stupid action that happens for actions sake. There is a deliberate pace, a build up to the climax.

It’s an abandoned alien story with a modern twist. CG. It had some close encounters aspects, mixed with ET, some Goonies, some ID4. It was 1979. It was fun to bike to school, to your friends house, to town. Biking is good. It gets you around. Ask Elliot.

The alien was supposedly friendly. How friendly can you get stuck on this rock since Roswell.? He was also weird. I couldn’t decide what he was or if it was cool. Not really, but ET phone home right?

I saw this in a digital theatre and it was dark. Not the movie, but the projection. I should’ve watched the analog print. Better that way. Has this digital stuff been terrible especially with that 3D technology?

3 of 5 stars

X-Men: First Class

broderic on June 11, 2011

These aren’t the X-Men I grew up with. This aren’t Professor Xavier’s first students. Where’s Jean Grey? Angel? Scott Summers? Iceman? Who’s this Darwin fella? Is he even in the comics? The Hellfire club was the original bad guys? Where’s The Fellowship of Evil Mutants? And how fucking funny is the title: The Fellowship of Evil Mutants? I think I got that wrong.

So, I caught X-Men: First Class and wish I hadn’t. They retconned everything. Why? Are we so bored of the original X-Men that we could not care to see any of them again? And then they get these guys to fill in? Banshee? Havok? Angel? I know I stopped reading X-Men, but where are all these mutants coming from?

The movie revolves around the Magneto versus Xavier view of being mutant: rule over or co-exist with humanity. Magneto comes through anger to create his world view. Xavier comes from privilege. Magneto was Bondian. Xavier was prissy. When did the X-Men become lame? (Right around the first xmen movie)

Well, at least Rose Byrne was in it. Once again, remember when she was the frumpy one?

2 of 5 stars.

The Hangover Part II

broderic on May 28, 2011

The Hangover Part II is the same movie as The Hangover except in Bangkok, Thailand. Every story point in the original happened in the sequel. Nothing different. For a comedy, it’s very pedestrian.

I did laugh out loud, but I feel that I had to because it is a comedy. Yet, most of the funny was in the trailer. Then you had to laugh because the movie was pedestrian.

At least, esurance salesgirl was in it.

3 of 5 stars

Observations from Aloha to Aloha

broderic on December 1, 2010

I should’ve been posting more from Hawaii, but who could think about using a computer when you’re in paradise? I couldn’t do that, but I did keep my travel journal which should go up sometime in 2011. For now, let me write down some recollections that could’ve been part of a blog post, but failed to materialize.

The flight out is the suck.
Can’t you just drop us off here?
Hawaii has more radio stations playing reggae as Jamaica. I presume.
The Big Island looks just like Iceland, except for the palm trees.
There are no plants on the west side of the Big Island, then you go up over Mauna Kea and lushness abounds.
These clubs make me have the same game? Maybe I should hit a driver more often?
Bob is a crazy driver.
This road is painted onto the side of Mauna Kea, then paved, then under construction.
I need Dramamine.
Stars are cool. Wish I could see the Milky Way. Or a galaxy. But that fuzziness in Orion’s sword is still pretty cool.
That dude was a star geek.
This lagoon is pretty cool.
That paddle boarder is way out there. So are we.
Is this turtle mating? No. It’s getting its teeth cleaned. Or did it just ate that fish?
Snorkeling, meh?
This breakfast is awesome. Eggs sunny side up on rice with some sausage? Over easy with mahi? Yeah it’s good.
More fish.
Go to Big Island Candies.
Must remember how to rent a car. Or a van. Or at least something on this island!
Nendoroids on vacation. Nakano!
Is place is the fake Hawaii?
The west side of Oahu is the real Hawaii. Too real.
Can we go to the North Shore now?
Shave Ice!
I can really crank a driver. Never new that.
My iron play is gone. The hell!?!
Eagle! No. Birdie!
I haven’t had any fruit yet.
This guy can cook!
A lot!
Lechon! Is awesome.
But it’s awesome.
Ramen. No. Sushi. Yes.
Everyone drives the speed limit in Hawaii. When you’re in paradise, what’s the hurry?
Did I just go to Tokyo?
What kind of crazy tees does 88 Tees serve? Only the Japanese can like them.
Bob has an awesome view. Plus these Diamond Head breaks look smooth and easy.
We need Hawaiian Sun drinks on the mainland.
This hotel is hip.

There’s probably more, but I probably can’t remember any of it. It was a great time. I wonder how long it will take to get back.

Things to think about while watching Inception

broderic on July 17, 2010

I really wanted to say this in my Inception review, but forgot before I hit the post button.

This movie will remind you that Nolan’s best film was the playfully, inventive Memento.
I got a vibe of Jacob’s Ladder — where and when is all this happening.
I also got a vibe of Flatliners — they come back.
Nolan likes to work with Cillian Murphy.
He also loves Michael Caine, but then again who doesn’t?
Seeing Ellen Page made me wonder about my car being ticketed.
I thought Ellen Page was gonna be the new Neo.
Why couldn’t Ellen Page have constructed awesome things on the fly?
How come Ellen Page was dramatically underused? Or was she overvalued?
Was that The Pin?
“I am a cypher, a cypher wrapped in an enigma… smothered in secret sauce.”
The movie caps a funny week of weird, strange dreams — earthquake!

Toy Story 3

broderic on July 10, 2010

After releasing the very lyrical movies, Up and Wall-E, Pixar returns to the movie franchise that put them on the map. Excuse me, I don’t understand the appeal of the Toy Story franchise. I may be a simpleton and one of the few that didn’t find Toy Story 3 as another Pixar knock-out, blockbuster hit. My low opinion of the Toy Story franchise has biased me into not paying proper respect to the movies. I just can’t understand it.

RottenTomatoes.com has Toy Story 3 at 99%. I may have seen a different movie. Wait a second while I go read some of the blurbs there.

Okay, I’m back. While it does top the tomato meter, a lot of the blurbs give it decent coverage following in the previous movies’ greatness yet also acknowledging the formality of this final installment.

The movie doesn’t wow me like the other Pixar films. Even the ones I don’t regard highly, Finding Nemo and Ratatouille, I can find something to like. The Toy Story movies I find nada. Does this make me soulless?

What I find wrong with the Toy Story franchise is that they’re routine. Maybe the first installment might be a groundbreaker, but the rest I find unappealing. Yes, I know that their stories reflect how we grow up but that don’t mean squat to me.

The final movie just wasn’t impressive enough. It’s better than some other animated schlock, but not high in the Pixar patheon.

Most other Pixar movies give me hope that animated films can move beyond the kiddie movie ghetto, but Toy Story is the quintessential kiddie movie at least superficially. It drives me crazy that they don’t make it awesome. There was a point where I was hopeful that Pixar was gonna be brave and make the movie bold, but I knew that it had to have the happy ending.

That being said. The movie is solid story telling. Flawless in execution. Kids will like it many adults as well. Ho-hum.

3 of 5 stars. Plus a meh.

Knight and Day

broderic on June 26, 2010

It’s 1 AM and here I am writing up my thoughts on Knight and Day. This way, when you read my review/thoughts, it’ll keep you away from a very muddled flick. Unless, of course, you like messes.

The commercials don’t convey how messed up this movie is. It looks like a fun ride with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz, except it was a movie saddled with a random script and little chemistry between the two protagonists. I was hoping for a fun ride, but got sick as the movie winded its way to its happy ending.

I thought the film was written and produced by Tom Cruise, because of his prominent mugging in the camera. I wanted to see that though. I wanted the jumping on Oprah’s couch Tom Cruise promised by the trailers. I got it but in too high a volume. But he was certainly the best thing going in the movie. “With me. Without me.” Hee hee.

Cameron Diaz has the Cameron Diaz problem: beautiful in one light, ugly in another. She was ugly for most of the time in this one.

There were some good parts — kicking the waiter, a dangling Tom Cruise, but they were parts of the muddled mess.

I think you may want to watch it, but don’t forget I told you its a head scratcher.

2 of 5 stars.

The A-Team

broderic on June 16, 2010

Why do I keep labeling these posts with thoughts on the film I watched as reviews? I don’t think I review them well, but I do do some snarky commentary. On occasion, I do write something resembling a review, but it’s few and far between.

That said, then let’s see what I have to say about The A-Team.

I wasn’t a fan of the original show. Never really watched it religiously because I couldn’t get over the fact that they shot at the bad guys, but never killed anyone. So my expectations are low already. I can’t compare it to some beloved show from my youth, because it isn’t beloved.

It was fun, pure summer movie fun. Lot’s of things blowing up. People dying! People shot. Face macking on some girl. Hannibal scheming. Murdoch crazy, actually lunatic insane crazy. BA being a badass. What more do you need from mindless summer entertainment? Popcorn, too. Then there is the Jessica Biel. Hot. Beautiful legs. Except, she wasn’t needed. A little bit of the love-romantic interest? Not needed. All we need is the plan so that it comes together.

Yup. It does.

3 of 5 stars.