Movieman's Guide to the Movies
The Final Word on Physical Media
In Time is a movie that had so much but squandered a great idea with a half-baked screenplay, thinly written characters and a plot that is more in line with a Bonnie & Clyde/Robin Hood story than anything else. Justin Timberlake isn’t bad as the main lead while Amanda Seyfried looks good but her character isn’t fully developed.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon is hardly the high point of action but I must admit that I actually mostly enjoyed this installment possibly because the previous sequel was so bad that it made this film look like Citizen Kane. In any case, once again the visual effects are incredible and the story was at least acceptable.
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See No Evil, Hear No Evil is Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder at their best. The story isn’t great and in fact is quite dumb but the pair’s comedic timing and chemistry makes the 100-minutes so worthwhile.
To say the least, Abduction is not a very good movie, the acting from Lautner is pretty bad (and at best just OK) while the talented supporting cast can’t overcome a lame script and overwrought storyline. The action sequences are all fairly average but at the same time I at least found some of it to be entertaining even when things get bad.
Traffic still is as engrossing today as it was the first day I saw it in the theaters 11 years ago. The performances all around are fantastic while Soderbergh’s style, now a standard for him, was unique and beautiful.
Continue reading “Traffic: The Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review”
Shark Night could’ve been an acceptable B-movie horror but instead the PG-13 rating neuters anything good. The acting isn’t up to snuff either but the screenplay hardly does anyone any favors.
Margin Call has some good things going for it like a good ensemble cast, some sharp dialogue and an interesting premise. Unfortunately that same premise only carries the movie so far before it becomes tedious and redundant. While none of the performances predominantly noteworthy, I did think Kevin Spacey and Paul Bettany stood out above the rest while Jeremy Irons played his usual douchebag/villain part, though toned down.
Ice Quake isn’t quite the disaster of a movie compared with other Syfy made-for-TV movies but it’s still not very good. It was more interesting to see Victor Garber’s lack of interest than even those whom seemed to actually try.
Serendipity stands out thanks in most part to its two stars. John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale overcome a clichéd-filled script; to be fair it’s hard not to be clichéd in the romantic-comedy genre.
The Expendables: Extended Director’s Cut isn’t great but still a functional action-thriller bringing together manly men on the same screen together. On that front, the film succeeds and is at least a fun way to spend 110-minutes.
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Colombiana is an OK movie that thinks has more substance than it actually does. Zoe Saldana gives a fine performance and shows that she can kick ass and look great doing it, nothing wrong with that, however, the story never connects on an emotional level and the plot is something we’ve seen many times before.
Kung Fu Panda 2 is a fun movie with incredible animation and, like the last installment, a great ensemble of voice talents. I wasn’t as enamored with the story as some, although I do like it wasn’t a mere rehash of the original.
Mr. Popper’s Penguins is a fun movie for the entire family. Sure, the plot is nonsensical and silly, the acting by the kids is pretty bad and the jokes are easy, but I managed to laugh a few times.
“The Simpsons” The Fourteenth Season might not be the best the show has had to offer but there are more than a few laughs to be had. The stories do get a bit repetitive but if you’re a die-hard fan, you’ll probably get more out of it than I had.
“Smallville” The Final Season is hardly perfect and there’s still issues with the writing, but I thought the season long plot and the forwarding of the Clark and Lois relationship makes this a solid year and far better than the ninth season.
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