The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2D)

After watching this flick in HFR 3D I couldn't stop thinking about comparing it with a "normal" 2D showing - so off to the theater again I went... and DAMN are the different.

Even with intense pressuring I am not sure I can say which version I prefer, each one has its goods and bads.  The most noticeable difference was with the motion blur - after watching it in HFR, following that with a 2D showing, all the camera pans and high action seemed blurry or out of focus.  The HFR makes such an incredible difference when it comes to camera motion and fight sequences, the clarity is unparalleled.  

But that clarity doesn't help when it comes to incorporating CGI characters...

The first time around, with the LOTR trilogy, Peter Jackson utilized more real actors in full costume/make-up whereas with this movie it seems like he has forgone that for use of more CGI characters, and I think that is shame.  Gollum still looks amazing, but many of the others you see are clearly computer-generated.  Whereas in LOTR many of the Orcs and Uruk-hai were actual actors, especially those interacting with the primary characters, in this film that seems not to be the case.  For me it takes away an air of realism (speaking of a fantasy film that sounds like a dumb comment, but you get what I am saying, yes?) - and I will just go right out and say it - I thought that Azog the Defiler was pretty terrible.

On another note - I came across this blog entry that pretty accurately reflects how I feel about the movie as a whole (3D, 2D, and HFR aside haha)

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (HFR 3D)

I had my doubts.  Curious about HFR (high frame rate) and dubious about 3D, I was not quite sure what I was getting myself into for this three-hour screening (other than the obvious that Peter Jackson + Middle Earth = awesome).  Without a "normal" 2D showing under my belt it is hard to make any direct comparisons, but I can tell you this - the HFR certainly has its pros and cons.  The sharpness and clarity made the action sequences simply astounding, yet for other moments it was almost too hyper-real.

Normally I am completely against 3D, but it was used much more subtly in this film - so much so that I often barely noticed it!  And when paired with the HFR, it made sequences like the battle in the goblin tunnels and the eagle flight simply breathtaking.

All the techno-jumble aside, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and the three hours flew by.  It had its cheesy moments (like the hero shot of Thorin during battle) and its downright dumbed-down moments (the Great Goblin's last words...) but otherwise a fun frolic into Middle Earth.

The Expendables 2

You get exactly what you expect from this movie.  All your favorite old school action superstars together again, fighting a similar fight all spouting their same classic dialogue.  Amidst the hokiness you did have some special moments - usually delivered by the better actors of the group (Bruce Willis, Jason Statham... and when they are "better actors" you are generally in trouble haha  But Willis made a valiant effort with the rather horrible re-used lines he was given)  Jean-Claude Van Damme does a shockingly good job as the bad guy, and while the female lead wasn't terrible I still wish they had cast a famous female action star to keep in line with the rest of the cast - maybe Lucy Liu?

Lots of plot holes and complete randomness... issues with continuity... poor effects... shoddy lighting... but getting the action-star gang of our past together again?  Priceless.

Safety Not Guaranteed

From the very beginning of this movie I was wondering how it would end.  So many possibilities and the surprising thing was I wasn't sure what I expected, not sure which ending I hoped for.

It was a super cute quirky movie, very indie, and thoroughly enjoyable.  Aubrey Plaza, of Parks & Recreation fame, was outstanding.

Airplane Whirlwind

No, "Airplane Whirlwind" is not the name of a movie.  Instead, it refers to the recent overseas trip I took in which I watched a total of five movies while in flight.  One sentence posts follow:

MEN IN BLACK III - Nothing is as good as the first one.  Not even with adding Josh Brolin.

TED - The teddy bear was funny.  And Giovanni Ribisi.  The rest I could have done without.

SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD - I can see why this film didn't have commercial success... it had ups and downs, but the end is just... OY

THE WATCH - Disappointed in this one.  Stellar cast.  Crap movie.

DARK SHADOWS - Oh Johnny, how far you have fallen.  This goes for you too, Burton.

Overall, 0 for 5.  I don't think I would recommend any of these movies to anyone.  Well, maybe Ted...  I seriously struck out, but at least I didn't waste a Netflix DVD rental...

Skyfall

This newest Bond movie was visually stunning, but the plot was seriously lacking.  Yeah it had some crazy action sequences, and Javier Bardem was a pretty creepy bad guy, and there were some sweet throwbacks to the original films, but overall the story was just not there.  I could have done without the random references to Bond's childhood past, it felt very out of character.  And for almost the whole story revolving around saving M, I felt that Judi Dench kind of dropped the ball.  Bardem had a cool backstory, and was awesomely psychotic in his subtle way, and the film could have used more of him and less... sap.

I still think Daniel Craig is right up there for my favorite bond (rugged and manly yet human and fallible) but this film was less than I anticipated.

Wreck-It Ralph

Watched this one a while ago... but once again have fallen behind in my posting.  Damn busy life - HA!  These things just pile up, like old magazines you know you really want to read but as one goes on top of the next you are less motivated to tackle the pile.  Anyway, get ready for a slew of (albeit brief) movie commentary...

Wreck-It Ralph was better than I expected.  Cute, warm, and fuzzy I appreciated it on a totally surface level.  As to the deeper excitement of someone who recognizes all the old games as having played them  continuously as a child, well for that I cannot relate.  But that being said, I think it would have been cool if Ralph had hopped more than two games.  Would have been fun to travel with him through several different gaming worlds on his quest to obtain a medal...

Jane Lynch's character was fabulous.

HOP - Seven Psychopaths and Argo

WOOT to a successful hop.  I am a bit delayed in writing this, having done the hop a couple weeks ago now, but I do feel that it is important to stress that my procrastination should in no way affect how you view these films.

SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS - This movie was not what I was expecting, and while that initially threw me through a loop it ended up being a good thing.  Several excellent character-actors made up the cast (including Christopher Walken, Sam Rockwell, and Woody Harrelson), and each of them were allowed the freedom to go full steam ahead embracing their crazy personas.  The film came across as slightly disjointed, but looking back I actually think of that as part of the film itself; the way it is a story commenting on the making of a story.

ARGO - Boom goes the dynamite.  Yes, yes I went there.  This is the best movie I have seen in a long time, and that says a lot coming from me, an admitted Hater of Ben Affleck.  I would avoid movies simply because he was in them, and lament his performance in every movie I did see.  But I think this actor has finally hit his stride... this film is really superb.  A blend of action, thriller, and yes some comedy (thanks Alan Arkin and John Goodman!) the movie covers a this-actually-happened topic with grace and surprising suspense (for a film in which you already know the ending).  Kudos Affleck, I will indeed go see your next movie.

Turn Me On, Dammit!

This film from Norway was not what I expected, in a "why is this so boring" sort of way.  How they managed to turn the premise of this racy indie-like film into something I had to physically hold my eyelids open for is beyond me.  I am struggling at the moment to find something redeeming to say... the actors tried really hard and the shots were borderline beautiful.  Oh, and it had a honest heartfelt message it was trying to get across.

The Switch

Yes, going along with my blog credo I admit to watching this movie.  My excuse is Jason Bateman, I really quite enjoy his sarcasm and witty humor.  But I know I know, that is really no excuse at all to subject oneself to such a terrible romcom, and I know that now.  I have learned my lesson - do not follow me following Bateman off the deep end.  Sometimes you just have to say no.

Looper

I really enjoyed this movie.  Any movie that is so entertaining it distracts me from what should be a relatively predictable end scores high in my book.  Throughout the movie there was a sense of "how is this going to resolve itself" which pushed the pace forward keeping the film moving.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been around since the early 90s, but it was not until recently that it seems his movie career has really taken off, and I think he has certainly risen to the occasion.  Emily Blunt, Jeff Daniels and Bruce Willis were also pretty good, but the star was the little boy, five-year-old Pierce Gagnon.  This kid was extraordinary.

Anyway, fun times.  You should watch this movie.  Just don't think too hard about the time travel stuff. That always makes my head hurt...

Matador

Normally I am a fan of Pedro Almodovar's unique take in his films, but this one from 1986 was difficult to decipher... some parts were so ridiculous I couldn't tell if it was supposed to be some sort of joke!  Do I read it on the surface and make excuses like "oh, it's a foreign film" or "oh, it's just super dated" or do I attempt to give Almodovar the benefit of the doubt and assume he is making a deeper comment on the flaws in our society?  hmmm...

A film he did a few years later in 1990 - Tie Me Up!  Tie Me Down! (also starring Antonio Banderas) - was very similar to this one; a bit jumpy and disconnected, and thoroughly sexual.  In my opinion his most outstanding work was one of his recent films, the 2011 The Skin I Live In, which had similar themes and the same leading man, and is a fine example of the evolution of a talented director.

Midnight Express

This film was pretty interesting, made even more so by the fact that it was based on a true story about a young American who gets stuck in the Turkish prison system.  Even more so than emphasizing "drug smuggling is bad", movies like this nail home the point that getting caught doing unlawful things in foreign countries where "law" is a flexible word is a not good situation to be in.

A little disturbing.  A little depressing.  But all-in-all while not as dramatic as I expected, the end was pretty priceless.

In the Cold Light of Day

Bad.  Bad Bad Bad.

Went to see this movie because Henry Cavill is incredibly gorgeous, and that fact is literally the only thing this movie had going for it.  And honestly, as hot as that man is I am not sure it is enough to carry the weight of an entirely awful movie.

Just think of something film related, anything at all.  Got it?
Now yes, I can confidently say that whatever you thought of was dreadfully executed in the making of this movie.  Well, unless you said "Cavill's tight shirts" in which case I would say Well Done Wardrobe Department.

Lawless

Now this is my kind of movie!  Intriguing subject matter, exciting action, compelling drama, expertly cast, and beautifully shot.  It even had a touch of comedy...

The actors especially hit their marks - Tom Hardy was brilliant, Shia LaBeouf was perfect for his role, I wish there was more Gary Oldman; albeit Guy Pearce may have been a bit too over-the-top creepy bad-guy.

It was predictable in almost every way, but damn this movie was so enjoyable that I didn't even care.

Jane Eyre

Not a fan of this movie, but that is probably not because it is a bad movie but more likely because I don't like dry overly romantic dramatic wistful nonsense.  Thought I would watch it as it actually has quite a good cast - Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender to name the leads.  And no doubt that they, as actors, didn't suck but their abilities did little to take from the fact that this is simply not my kind of movie.  It is what you would expect...

Swing Shift

Was hoping for an oldie-but-goodie, but instead got a not-so-goodie.  This 1984 film stars Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn in what I thought was going to be a light-hearted comedy (a la Overboard) but instead was rather slow and everything about it was just kind of sad.  There is cheating, back-stabbing, war, and loads of sexist woman-get-in-the-kitchen-and-cook type of crap.  I mean, it is set in the 1940s, but still!  You don't really end up liking anyone in this movie, which is hard when you have such a likable couple as Hawn and Russell, and just goes to show what an unfortunate movie this is.

John Carter

I initially had no desire to see this movie - the trailer was horrible, with pretty much everything (acting, plot, etc) looking relatively terrible.  What, you may ask, would change my mind?  Two producers where I work independently told me that it was worth seeing simply for the VFX.  That it had the most amazing effects they had ever seen ever.  And then proceeded to support it and defend it as if their lives depended on it.  Well then, based on that fiery reaction to my unfounded opinions I immediately put it first in my Netflix queue and watched it the night it arrived.

Imagine my disappointment when the movie still sucked.  But I didn't tell them that, and if it ever gets brought up again I will resist getting pulled into what has the potential of turning into a violent conflict of opinions and instead go get a cookie.

ADDENDUM:  I will admit that the puppy-alien creature was super cute, and some of the CGI characters were really quite well done.

HOP - Total Recall and The Bourne Legacy

This was an unexpected hop.  Not unexpected in that I didn't know I was going to do it, but unexpected in the results - I thought I wouldn't totally like Total Recall but would love Bourne Legacy, and it ended up being vice versa.  I had also planned to re-watch the original 1990 Total Recall before seeing this new one, but the movie has been "very long wait" in my Netflix queue for a very long time... boo to everyone having the same thought as me!

TOTAL RECALL - As I inferred, I cannot comment on how this 2012 version compares to the 1990 one since I haven't seen the original in at least a decade, but as a stand alone I thoroughly enjoyed this movie.  Visually it is a beautiful depiction of an ugly world, with an incredible chase scene along the rooftops and through the streets.  Other than the brief moment when a couple characters are climbing a ladder on the outside of a vessel that goes through the core of the Earth in seventeen minutes, from one side of the planet to the other, and don't get pancaked by whatever crazy g-force must be occurring, I had a lot of fun suspending my brain for this film.

THE BOURNE LEGACY - Where are my meds.  I need my chems.  Do you have the chems?  That is the entire first half of this movie.  Jeremy Renner as Aaron Cross, the drug addict.  Or so he seems until finally someone thought it would be nice to explain why he is so desperate for the drugs.  I also found other small things to be annoying - like the out-of-focus and jittery camera work and editing during a super long chase scene, and the strangely extreme close-up shots on people, and how this really complicated big-deal serum seems to be suddenly ready-to-use, and the fact that... well nevermind.  You get the idea.

But I did appreciate how they worked really hard to incorporate Jason Bourne into this film, to tie the previous film in the series (The Bourne Ultimatum) and this new one together.  Not flawless (would have been great to have a Bourne cameo!) but they did well with what they had so points to them.

But they totally wasted Edward Norton's talent on some stupid minor role!  So for that they lose all their bonus points.

Beastly

Promising re-make potential, terrible movie.  Attempts to take the story of Beauty and the Beast and translate that into the modern day.  Same exact story but insert a goth chic (Mary-Kate Olsen) for the old witch, and a blind tutor (Neil Patrick Harris) and maid (trying to get green-cards for her children) instead of animated household objects.  And despite being all sorts of hotness in Magic Mike, this movie simply confirms that Alex Pettyfer cannot act.

Just all around all sorts of bad.  Just bad bad bad.  Bad and dumb.  Terrifically stupid.  Ugh.

The Man From Nowhere

This film from South Korea surprised me, it was much better than I initially anticipated.  The acting was highly mediocre, especially by the police, of which there was one particularly bad stand-out whom I can only assume was meant to be the comic relief.  This movie could definitely have done without him, his bad "comic" acting was jarring and terribly distracting every time he was on screen.  Otherwise, my only real criticism is that at times I had trouble understanding the plot - were there two Chinese gangs in Korea vying for the drug trade?  Or was there a Korean gang pretending to go into the drug trade with the Chinese when they really just wanted to trade in illegal organs?  Or was everyone trading in illegal organs with drugs on the side?

Carnage

The premise of this 2011 Roman Polanski movie could be summed up in less than ten words - "two couples arguing in an apartment".  But when the two couples are Jodie Foster & John C. Reilly and Christoph Waltz & Kate Winslet the film turns into so much more.  Of the four, I have to say that Reilly really stole the show - his performance was precisely hysterical.  All the characters had a very relatable trait about them, in either a "that is me" or "I know that person" sort of way.  The movie moves a little slow, as expected from a film in which the extent of the action is four cast members talking in an apartment, but it gives the dialogue and personality a canvas on which to shine.

Immortal Beloved

This movie is to Beethoven what Amadeus was to Mozart.  Except less awesome.  The story of Beethoven, told through flashbacks, and focusing on the mystery behind his secret love.  A little confusing at times, since the flashbacks jumped around and two of the leading ladies looked identical haha but an interesting peek at the incredibly talented composer.  But I am jaded, as I am so in love with Amadeus that this film in comparison was simply mediocre.  Perhaps if I had seen it before the other then I would have enjoyed it more...

The Dark Knight Rises

This movie delivered.  It was a different sort of beast than its predecessor, The Dark Knight, but no less memorable.  It was even more dark and gritty, and it was much more introspective with more thought and less action.  I am not sure yet whether I would say this final installment of Christopher Nolan's Batman legacy was better or worse than his previous films, just different.  Stronger in some areas, and weaker in others.  But I am sure most everyone can agree, no evil villain can beat Heath Ledger's Joker.

But even putting Joker aside I was disappointed with Bane, primarily because I could only understand what the Sean Connery-sounding Tom Hardy was saying about 70% of the time.  But man did Hardy bulk up for that role!  Anne Hathaway was a very pleasant surprise, I thought she would be too "sweet" to play the role of Catwoman but she seriously kicked butt and was totally believable.  Also appreciated her cat-like qualities without her needing to literally dress like a cat (with the "ears" appearing as a by-product of her goggles).

And it goes without saying, but I will anyway, that the acting was fabulous, the visual effects top-notch, with Nolan pretty much being awesome as usual.  But bear with me in the need to point out that no one, not even Bruce Wayne, can get from remote Uzbekistan to Gotham in less than two hours.

Bride Wars

Yes, I admit it.  As I share every new movie I have watched with you, I have to cop to watching this one.  But it is almost as though I don't have to bother with a post, I imagine you know what I am going to say.  So as much as I love Anne Hathaway, let's sum the movie up with one word: dumb.

P.S.  Next post teaser - Anne totally redeems herself with The Dark Knight Rises!!!

Goon

Not sure what motivated me to watch this movie.  Think I was aiming for something brainless I could tidy my apartment and fold laundry to, and in that case this movie delivered.  However, if you plan on using all your attention and focus to watch a movie, this would not be the one to choose.  I think I could tolerate it because I was using less than 25% of my brain to watch it.  Any more than that, and you might start to twitch uncontrollably.  Seann William Scott is far from the finest actor, and this is one of the most un-fine movies I have ever used 25% of my brain to watch.

Michael Collins

My love of Liam Neeson is what brought me to this movie, and my love for Liam Neeson is what got me through it.  A concept that just barely held my interest, about the formation of the Irish Free State, for me this movie was a little ponderous.  But then again, who doesn't love a story about the "underdog" fighting for freedom?  This film co-starred Julia Roberts (random!), Aidan Quinn, Stephen Rea, Alan Rickman(in a typical grumpy un-likable role), and keep an eye out for a young Jonathan Rhys Meyers in one of his very first roles.

New Year's Eve

Nothing good to say about this movie.  I am not even going to go down the laundry list of celebrities who make an appearance.  You want to know how bad it was?  It was actually worse than the similar multiple-story-lined, "all-star cast" overloaded Valentine's Day (which was done by the exact same Director and Writer).  Blech.

The Amazing Spider-Man

This movie was awesome.  So much better than the Tobey Maguire/Kirsten Dunst version.  Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone put them to shame with this vastly superior version of essentially the same movie.  I also hear from my comic-book-reading peers that this latest version is more true to the comics, especially in relation to details surrounding Peter Parker.  My favorite difference?  How this most recent Spidey film was not nearly as cheesy as those of the past.  It felt more real, the characters more relatable.  (Although it was odd how Stone's character literally only wore mini skirts and boots the entire movie.  I really really wanted there to be a shot of her closet with the skirts/boots lined neatly in a row... haha)  Great, fun, entertaining, comic-book-hero movie!

 

Brave

Pixar's newest movie is a bit of a disappointment.  Don't get me wrong, it is exquisitely beautiful in its CGI animated magic, but at this point we expect that in a Pixar film.  What we also expect is a story that goes above and beyond your average children's film, and in this movie we just don't have that.  Several characters are introduced, and then essentially cast aside when they could have been developed and put to so much more use!  The witch, the evil bear, even the father.   The story centers around a young girl and her mother, and to be perfectly frank it simply was not enough.  The doors were there, the characters primed and ready, but no one was allowed to walk through.

Magic Mike

There is not much to say about this movie, other than the obvious - it had some pretty dazzling eye candy, and anything other than that doesn't matter.  You are not going to see this for the plot.  You are not going to see this for the acting.  You sit through those things just to make it inside Xquisite - the Tampa strip club run by Matthew McConaughey and populated by the likes of Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, and Matt Bomer.  Fancy dance moves, creative costumes, and abs to die for are the reason to sit through this movie, and not much more.  But do you need more?  ;)

In Darkness

Man, I have been so bad at this in recent weeks... here I am, after a long absence, with another seven-or-so movies piled up awaiting their very own post.  Here, in rapid fire, we start:

This was an odd week for me, watching two Holocaust movies within two days of each other (previous one being my previous post, on Bent)  This 2011 Polish film tells the true story of a man who hid Jewish refugees in the sewers of the Nazi-occupied Polish city of Lvov.  To be honest, it was not quite as dramatic as I thought it was going to be, considering the subject matter.  In other words, I was never as emotionally involved as I could have been - the emotions were there on the surface based on basic content, but I didn't grow any attachment to the individual characters.  There were missed opportunities in this film, but even despite that the story managed to hold its own and engross me in it's tale of courage and survival.

Bent

An intense movie loosely based around a gay man (played by Clive Owen in one of his first major roles) doing what he can to survive the Holocaust.  There have been several truly gripping films made based about the Holocaust, and if I were to recommend only one to someone it would probably not be this one.  However, that being said this movie takes a slightly different take on the horrendous event by following someone discriminated against not because of being Jewish, but because he is gay.  Now I am not one to comment or verify the truth in this statement, but according to this film it was worse to get a pink triangle than a yellow star. 


Clocking in just under two hours, this movie probably has only about ten pages of dialogue.  It relied primarily on visuals to tell the story and, like any with this subject matter, is heartbreaking.  No imagery was as powerful as the last scene...  

Chronicle

This movie was shot entirely "documentary" style, and in that I mean that every shot was part of the film, being shown from the point of view of someone's video camera in the movie itself (a la the most famous example, Blair Witch).  Makes it feel a little disjointed and slow at times, but also gives you a more unique perspective into the characters themselves.  Very "fly on the wall".

The basic premise is that three friends absorb telekinetic powers from a mysterious source (never explained) and the movie proceeds to show the evolution of these powers, and how they decide to use them.  Predictable, in the usual unfortunate ways (one of the kids as a shitty home life, so he of course steers towards using his powers in destructive ways) but overall I enjoyed the movie.

Battle Royale

Screw Hunger Games, if you want to see a movie about young people being forced to kill each other until there is just one man left standing, this is the movie you should watch.  Now I will admit that Hunger Games is flashy, and delves more into the background of the government and the training of those chosen to battle, but when it comes to the actual battle itself this movie wins hands down.  It is hardcore and brutal, and everything I wanted the soft fluffy Hunger Games to be.  Also, keep an eye out for Gogo from Kill Bill, who plays one of the students.

Just have patience with the subtitles... clearly the person who created them either did not speak Japanese, or more likely was simply not fluent in English.

HOP - Rock of Ages and Prometheus

Two very different movies, which makes for quite an interesting hop.  I am just happy that it ended on the film it did, otherwise that would have just made the first seem even worse.

ROCK OF AGES - The audience niche?  Female teenie bopper rock junkies.  Great music, decent actors (excepting the two leads), fun choreography, horrible high cheesy factor.  Although it was almost almost worth it for the duet between Alec Baldwin and Russell Brand, and the stripper pole scene... dang were those women Cirque du Soliel quality pole dancers!

My advice to you?  Buy the soundtrack.

PROMETHEUS - Lots of theories surrounding this movie, primarily revolving around the question of God and how life on Earth came to be.  Which is of course what this movie is all about.  But you know what they say... curiosity killed the cat.  If I have learned anything from the Alien films it is this - whatever that mysterious substance is, don't touch it!

A lot of attention to detail was put into every frame of this film.  Ridley Scott is God.

Sleeper

Not a big fan of Woody Allen, I have to say.  I like some of his more recent work, like Match Point and  Scoop, but most of his work is a bit too "old-guy-hooking-up-with-girl-way-too-young-for-him" uncomfortable.  Yet on the other hand how can I not enjoy his sarcastic-nervous-jewish-guy act?  haha His films can be so... odd... and this one certainly fits that profile.  The [loose] plot is essentially dorky jewish guy (played by himself of course) gets awoken out of cryostasis to be manipulated into overthrowing an oppressive government.  This film is awash with weirdness - slapstick humor, low-budget set pieces, gigantic vegetables, orgasm-machines, and a poetry-reciting Diane Keaton.  Maybe quirky is the polite way to talk about it...

The Sicilian Girl

An Italian film about what happens to a young girl who dares to defy the mafia.  I thought that it was quite good, if not a bit long.  It delves deep into this girl's life, what it was like for her growing up in Sicily's mafia and what it took for her to get the courage to defy them.  This film is a strong character study, and the main actress takes the challenge in stride.

HOP - Moonrise Kingdom and Snow White and the Huntsman

We continue my catch-up game with a halfway decent hop...

MOONRISE KINGDOM - The new Wes Anderson film, need I say more?  You know, usually I don't like Anderson, but this movie was a real gem.  Typically I find his films too disjointed; I am a very linear person and his movies would just sporadically jump all over and just when you would think "hey, I know what's going on" all of a sudden you wouldn't.  This movie still had a bit of that, as well as his strong emphasis on color and his theatrical shooting style, and it was expertly cast.  I can confidently say it is my favorite film of his thus far.

SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN - In response to seeing this movie someone said to me "you know if the best actor in the movie is Chris Hemsworth, you have a problem" and that pretty much sums up this film.  Usually I am a fan of Charlize Theron, but she sank into Overacting Overload which has put our "she's a good actress" relationship in jeopardy.  And don't get my started on Kristen Stewart.  UGH.  Moving on... Let me move on to what was truly awesome about this movie - everything but the actors.  Costumes.  Set Design.  Graphics.  A truly eye-catchingly beautiful film.  But be aware - there are several scenes in this movie that will remind you of very specific scenes from other films (most noticeably The Neverending Story, and Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter's patronus).

Underworld: Awakening

Holy cow was this movie bad.  I have seen all the others, so not sure why I expected this one to stand alone as a shining beacon of halfway decent vampire movies, silly me.  Just, please don't.  If you ever heed anything I write, heed this - stay away from this movie that can possibly count as even more ridiculous than the Twilight series.

Hmmm on second thought, not sure even this can beat Twilight as worst vampire movie of all time.  This at least has a sexy Kate Beckinsale, although why she keeps agreeing to do these movies is beyond me.

To End All Wars

A movie about Allied soldiers at a Japanese POW camp forced to build a railroad, starring Kiefer Sutherland (bad American who turns good), Robert Carlyle (bad Britain who is pretty much bad the whole way through), and Mark Strong (good to a fault).  It delves into how they survived such harsh conditions, banding together against their captors in a way you wouldn't necessarily expect.  A tad long in my opinion, but some great character development.

Everything Must Go

A quasi-serious Will Ferrell film, in which a down-on-his-luck guy who just lost his job, his wife, and access to his house, camps out on his front lawn with all his belongings.  Ferrell is at best mildly amusing.  There is a hot across-the-street neighbor.  There is a spunky loner kid.  There is a yard sale.  The End.

So Far Behind

As you may guess, "So Far Behind" is not the name of a movie (or is it?...) but instead refers to the TEN movies I am behind on entry posting.  In trying to decide what to do (options include: ignore the movies I watched like it never happened, write one post commenting on all ten, stop the blog altogether, procrastinate some more) I have come up with a middle-of-the-road solution.  The following blog entries are going to be what I will refer to as a "quickie", starting with the movie:

ANONYMOUS
Ummm watched this months ago.  Thought it was going to be awesome.  It was decidedly not.  If you really like Shakespeare then give it a go, but otherwise not worth your time.