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I haven't posted a lot of reviews lately. The inter webs is rotten with reviews on pretty much anything, so it often seems like a waste.
Still, I seem to have seen a lot of movies in the theater of late and a surprising number of them have been pretty good. Rather than go deep, I'm just going to offer sound bites on the things, which I suspect is all most people read of reviews anyway.
Hancock. It's hard not the like Will Smith. While not amazing or consistent, the movie is still fun and worth the trip. Far better than the evil critics would have you believe.
Wall-E. Brilliant. Easily the best thing I've seen in theaters this year. All the charm of a Pixar short, but with a story. The story is an unexpected surprise. Exceptional for both what it says and what it doesn't say, it's far deeper than one would expect. Wall-E, I believe, is a Zen master, waking up all the beings he touches.
Kung Fu Panda. Amusing, fun, and well done. Despite the dearth of formula and a sense of seeing most of it before, it carries us on anyway. Unlike the tired Shrek franchise, it is refreshingly light on pop culture references. We never do find out why the panda's dad is a duck, which I kind of like.
The Incredible Hulk. Good for popcorn, though eminently forgettable. Ed Norton is a great choice, though. An excellent example of why action / comic movies should really give up on romance. I was actually far more intrigued by Dr. Banner's relationship with a Latina that got maybe two minutes screen time than with Liv, the deer in headlights space alien.
Iron Man. For good or ill, Downey owns this film. About a narcissistic wealthy playboy who has a change of heart after a life changing incarceration; acting hardly seems required. Still, it's the actor's intensity that raises this one above the expected predictable fare. It's good.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Does an excellent job of propagating the franchise. Has the same full speed ahead, happily implausible, serial cliff hanger quality of the others. Like Iron Man, this one also owes a lot to the actor's charisma.
Narnia ( Caspian ): Some elements are charming, others frustrating. Any Christian elements of Narnia are not particularly overt, being just the natural imaginings of a respected theologian trying to entertain children. Yet, I felt bludgeoned by someone with more of an agenda than that. At the same time, the innocence of a young prince is replaced by a near adult who obviously wants to jump Susan. It's pretty, well polished, has some excellent action, and, ironically, lacks soul.
Next week, Hellboy II. Can... not... wait.
Still, I seem to have seen a lot of movies in the theater of late and a surprising number of them have been pretty good. Rather than go deep, I'm just going to offer sound bites on the things, which I suspect is all most people read of reviews anyway.
Hancock. It's hard not the like Will Smith. While not amazing or consistent, the movie is still fun and worth the trip. Far better than the evil critics would have you believe.
Wall-E. Brilliant. Easily the best thing I've seen in theaters this year. All the charm of a Pixar short, but with a story. The story is an unexpected surprise. Exceptional for both what it says and what it doesn't say, it's far deeper than one would expect. Wall-E, I believe, is a Zen master, waking up all the beings he touches.
Kung Fu Panda. Amusing, fun, and well done. Despite the dearth of formula and a sense of seeing most of it before, it carries us on anyway. Unlike the tired Shrek franchise, it is refreshingly light on pop culture references. We never do find out why the panda's dad is a duck, which I kind of like.
The Incredible Hulk. Good for popcorn, though eminently forgettable. Ed Norton is a great choice, though. An excellent example of why action / comic movies should really give up on romance. I was actually far more intrigued by Dr. Banner's relationship with a Latina that got maybe two minutes screen time than with Liv, the deer in headlights space alien.
Iron Man. For good or ill, Downey owns this film. About a narcissistic wealthy playboy who has a change of heart after a life changing incarceration; acting hardly seems required. Still, it's the actor's intensity that raises this one above the expected predictable fare. It's good.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Does an excellent job of propagating the franchise. Has the same full speed ahead, happily implausible, serial cliff hanger quality of the others. Like Iron Man, this one also owes a lot to the actor's charisma.
Narnia ( Caspian ): Some elements are charming, others frustrating. Any Christian elements of Narnia are not particularly overt, being just the natural imaginings of a respected theologian trying to entertain children. Yet, I felt bludgeoned by someone with more of an agenda than that. At the same time, the innocence of a young prince is replaced by a near adult who obviously wants to jump Susan. It's pretty, well polished, has some excellent action, and, ironically, lacks soul.
Next week, Hellboy II. Can... not... wait.