Recent theatrical viewings

[Rev. Powell]

BARNEY'S VERSION: We meet soap opera producer Barney as a sarcastic, hard drinking middle-aged man who (another character tells us) has gotten away with murder; flashbacks encompassing his three past marriages give us a fuller portrait of a flawed man.  Paul Giamatti's performance is great, but it turns out that two hours is too long to spend with Barney, especially when we reach his final days and he becomes a pathetic old man rather than a lovable scamp.  3.5/5. 

[Rev. Powell]

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1: With the Magical Ministry taken over by the evil Voldermort, Harry Potter and friends go on the run, searching for the Horcruxes they need to destroy to defeat the dark mage.  With boarding school politics left behind for a vision of a world controlled by fascist wizards, this is darker than previous entries in the series, but the quality remains as high as you'd expect from the series.  The plot is hard to follow for someone like me who's never read the books and missed the first five films in the series, with dozens of artifacts and minor characters to try to keep track of, but you get the gist---it's a quest to defeat an bad dude. 4/5. 

[BoyScoutKevin]

(IMHO) There are three types of films. (1) Those not worth thinking about. (2) Those worth thinking about and which can be divided into two more types of films. (2a) The more you think about 'em, the worst they become or the overrated. (2b) The more you think about 'em, the better they come or the underrated. Fortunately, the following two films fall in the last type.

"The Eagle" w/ Jamie Bell and Donald Sutherland

"The Centurion" From Roman armies disappearing in the north to murdered children to a seeming last stand, this is quite similiar to "The Centurion." Thus, if one enjoyed that film, one may enjoy this film. Indeed, some people who have seen this film actually enjoy this one more.

"The Book" Based on the book "The Eagle of the 9th." Which I haven't read. But if the film is a product of the 2nd decade of the 21st century, which it is, then the book, which was published in 1954, is the product of the '50's. So, you have that comparison.

"The Author" Rosemary Sutcliffe. My rule of thumb is that women write the better romance scenes, while men write the better action scenes, but Ms. Sutcliffe is an exception to the rule. The action scenes she writes compare favorablely to most action scenes written by a man.

"Fear" How we have forgotten what it means to have someone put a knife. A sword. A spear in our back. From the first scene, the film puts that out as a legitimate fear for people living in those days.

"Sutherland" An actor of limited range, but oh is he fun to watch.

"I Am Number Four" w/ Alex Pettyfer

From one of the better opening scenes in a film to a big kickass finale, this film more than met my expectations.

"Relationships" Like the previous film, the most interesting relationships in the film, were not between the male characters and the female character, except for the Aussie chick, who got little screen time, but between the male characters and the male characters. The teen hero and his mentor. The teen hero and the science nerd. The teen hero and the football jock.

Next time: "Red Riding Hood" (2011) and/or "Mars Needs Moms"

[Rev. Powell]

THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU: A senatorial candidate accidentally meets and falls in love with a woman fate never intended him to meet; divine agents in suits and hats try to keep the two apart so the Plan can be fulfilled.  Inspired by a Phillip K. Dick story, but given the Hollywood treatment; you keep waiting for a metaphysical twist to come, but instead all you get is a lame "love conquers all" ending.  Dick is probably rolling in his grave.  2.5/5. 

[dean]

THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU: A senatorial candidate accidentally meets and falls in love with a woman fate never intended him to meet; divine agents in suits and hats try to keep the two apart so the Plan can be fulfilled.  Inspired by a Phillip K. Dick story, but given the Hollywood treatment; you keep waiting for a metaphysical twist to come, but instead all you get is a lame "love conquers all" ending.  Dick is probably rolling in his grave.  2.5/5. 

The one main observation I had with this one is that its so by the numbers in many respects, ironic given the subject matter of the movie.

[Hammock Rider]

THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU: A senatorial candidate accidentally meets and falls in love with a woman fate never intended him to meet; divine agents in suits and hats try to keep the two apart so the Plan can be fulfilled.  Inspired by a Phillip K. Dick story, but given the Hollywood treatment; you keep waiting for a metaphysical twist to come, but instead all you get is a lame "love conquers all" ending.  Dick is probably rolling in his grave.  2.5/5. 

  I think Dick's stories can be difficult to translate directly to film, but I really don't like when they don't even make an honest effort. I make an exception for Total Recall because the ending to that short story was pretty bizarre and it really wasn't meant as any kind of serious movie anyway. I think I'll wait til this one comes to cable. Thanks Rev.

[BoyScoutKevin]

I've seldom seen a film that is bad as most people make it out to be. Unless it is a film that is overrated, then it is normally not as good as most people make it out to be, but this film is not overrated. Indeed, it is probably underrated.

The animated "Mars Needs Moms" w/ the talents of Seth Green and Joan Cusack.

I was surprised at what a sweet-natured film it was.

I was also surprised at how much sympathy the film generated for all the characters, even the Supervisor. Because you know where she is coming from. She doesn't know what is best for everyone, but she think she does, so everything she does is not for her benefit, but supposedly the benefit of everyone else in the film.

The storyline was not as original as I first thought, but it was different from the storyline in most films, so that gave it some major cred (IMHO.)

And . . .
exciting action
resonating emotion
terrying horror

I'm glad I saw it, which is why I proably never read a review of a film before I see it.

Next time:"Red Riding Hood."

[JayJayM12]

THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU: A senatorial candidate accidentally meets and falls in love with a woman fate never intended him to meet; divine agents in suits and hats try to keep the two apart so the Plan can be fulfilled.  Inspired by a Phillip K. Dick story, but given the Hollywood treatment; you keep waiting for a metaphysical twist to come, but instead all you get is a lame "love conquers all" ending.  Dick is probably rolling in his grave.  2.5/5. 

Yeah, this movie was definitely nothing special.  The Rev is right - they hinted at the metaphysical a couple of times, but never delivered.  And, the ending was atrocious and wrapped up too easiily.  What came before the ending wasn't horrible, but not great - I was never bored, but I was never enthralled.  2.5 out of 5 sounds about right to me...

[Rev. Powell]

THE ILLUSIONIST: An out-of-fashion magician in the 1960s can't compete with rock and roll and finds himself playing to smaller and smaller audiences; he meets a girl who really believes he can perform magic, and she tags along with him as his career continues to decline.  Lovingly animated by Sylvain Chomet (THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE) from an unproduced script by Jacques Tati in a nearly silent-film style; Chomet puts so much love into the noble project that you desperately want it to work out, but it fails to completely satisfy. The slapstick sequences are underdeveloped and never reach real anarchy (for example, so much more could have been done with the illusionist's incompetence when he tires to wash a car).  The film fares a little better when it aims at poignancy, but the ending is just sad without being cathartic---it plays as flat-out defeatist rather than melancholy.  Worth seeing, but I advise muting your expectations.  3/5.

[Rev. Powell]

SOURCE CODE: A man wakes on a train inside the body of another man.  Eight minutes later, the train blows up, and he re-enters the same body and to relives the scenario again.  There are two mysteries here: who blew up the train, and how is this possible?  Neither of the answers are mind-blowers, but the movie does deliver exceptional storytelling that keeps you engaged throughout.  After debuting with MOON, up-and-coming director Duncan Jones delivers two winners back-to-back.  4/5.

[retrorussell]

SUPER.  Funny flick about a dim man who gets fed up with seeing drug users/selling, cuts in line, carjacking, etc. going on in his neighborhood and decides to become a superhero.  His sense of "justice" is rather skewed as he beats people with a wrench for cutting in line, in one sequence.  He gets a sidekick in the form of a young, foul-mouthed comic book store clerk who, in one scene, seduces him by caressing herself and saying, "it's all gooey".  Riotous dialogue and violence, and though the comparisons to Kick-@$$ are inevitable, there's plenty enough to make it different.  Plus Kevin Bacon and Michael Rooker are thrown in for some camp enjoyment.  3.8/5.

[Rev. Powell]

THE LINCOLN LAWYER: A slick defense attorney with sketchy ethics who works out of the back of a Lincoln towncar encounters moral dilemmas and outright danger when he takes on a millionaire client accused of beating a woman.  Excellent ensemble acting, led by Matthew McConaughey as the barrister, smooths over the implausibilities in the story; mystery and thriller fans will be satisfied, and forgive the fact that the script throws in a meaningless bonus twist after the movie probably should have ended.  3.5/5.

[Rev. Powell]

POTICHE: French comedy with nostalgic star power.  A trophy wife proves unexpectedly competent when she takes over her husband's umbrella factory while he recuperates from a heart attack. Well made, in a film style appropriate to the late 1970s setting, but it's so lightweight, fluffy and nostalgic that you wonder if there was any point to it all beyond keeping Catherine Deneuve busy.  Gerard Depardieu has grown far too obese to play any sort of convincing romantic interest.  2.5/5.

[Rev. Powell]

JANE EYRE: Frumpy but bright Jane Eyre becomes governess at the home of a handsome gentleman with deep secrets.  This obviously won't appeal to many people on this board (it's pretty much the antithesis of a "bad movie"), but the cross-class romance and tastefully tormented gentlemen will hit the sweet spot for Brit Lit film fans.  Mia Wasikowska is perfectly cast as Jane.  4/5

[crackers]

Fast 5 - I like these films cause they are so bad. Paul Walker is a douche. The acting was dreadful and there was some real bad (in a good way) one liners. Having said that the heist idea is quite a well thought out affair.

I know this may not was well with quite a few of you, but each to their own.