Eagle Eye (2/5)
You have your protagonists running about and doing all sorts of wild stunts and apparently figuring something out, but when the final plot point hits you're left rather disappointed and wishing everyone just stayed in bed that day and saved us all millions of dollars hassle. It reminded me a bit of I, Robot. That story, if you actually pay attention is a total waste of time: Will Smith is put on this wild Sherlockian mystery caper, which ...
Fallen (4/5)
Some tremendous old fashioned touches made this film a cut above: the highlighted sentence in the letter, choice canted camera work, classic score and pace. The "spirit" camera was the most modern bit and did a disservice to the film's aesthetic and feel. A lovely and surprising theological overtone, which crested in a convincing conversation on the point of life between Washington and Goodman, all in the dark hovel of their detective office. ...
Joy Ride (2/5)
I can't remember this film; I saw it on Saturday I believe, and I was bored, lying on my bed sideways, blinds shut. Oh ya, it is like a Disney-produced Hitcher, with a little Duel and some Short Circuit--especially that bit in the desert with robots.
The Man In The Iron Mask (1/5)
How do such fine actors produce such repulsive results--do we also blame the director, the writer, editor? In the pivotal Gigli for example, Pacino doesn't actually act poorly, it is just the overwhelmingly bad content before and after his scenes that make his scene stink; and perhaps the actual line reading was poor--I can't recall exactly, I was having too much fun coughing up chocolate milk. So, in The Iron Mask we have some of the greatest ...
City Of Ember (2/5)
Many good aesthetic choices and photography; surprisingly gloomy material for the young audience it was aiming. Much like the shortcomings of The Temple Of Doom, where the weight of the underground setting requires a remarkable work of magic and sublimity--one that is rarely achieved.
Journey To The Center Of The Earth (2/5)
Nothing interesting to say here. Another forgettable Brendan Fraser pic.
Poets do it in fewer words.
I labor for hours to string together a meaningful song lyric and once in a great while do I suspect they actually move the listener--I usually hide behind loud production and bell ringing. I think songwriters could learn a lot from our poetic peers, they truly make meaning out of the most delicate little phrases. I am in awe of the theology in this bit that a friend sent me the other day--a picture of a possible Heaven with its memory, its ...
The firehose.
I've been reviewing the films I watch now and thought that blogging them was just as good a place as any. Forgive the firehose of posts there, this is my work from January to present. These days I'm less driven by my borderline faith so I figured why not make value out of my movie-a-night trend that has marked post-graduate life. I nearly resolutioned to not watch any film that had a Rotten Tomato score under 60, but that didn't last long. I ...
Crank (2/5)
For much more deliriously enjoyable and absurd action see Shoot Em Up--better hero, better villain, better plot, better photography, better ridiculousness, better humor, better breast milk (literally).