St. Paddy's and Spring Break Movie Review
Red Eye:
Excellent movie. Cillian Murphy is deliciously creepy. Probably not worth watching if you don't think yummy thoughts about him. Otherwise it was a mediocre airplane thriller.
Donny Darko:
Excellent movie for everyone. Nice performance by Jake Gyllenhaal (for all of you looking for his other movies after Brokeback Mountain). As a whole this movie is what David Lynch films would be like if they were good. It has a good balance of humor, creepiness, and interesting plot devices. Patrick Swayze is a motivational speaker and it's worth watching just for that. I also recommend the dvd version rather than video because the extras are worth watching.
Once Upon A Time in Mexico:
This is the sequal to Desperado. Half of the movie is Antonio Banderas either having flashbacks of his dead wife or shooting people, always looking good and being a badass. His character has no plot. The actual plot revolves around Johnny Depp's character, who in any other movie would be minor comic relief. He is hilarious, hot, and a badass. Even when wearing a fanny pack. Only Johnny Depp. This was pretty much a shameless sequel and very well done because Johnny Depp obviously didn't take it seriously and Antonio Banderas somehow managed to look serious about it on camera.
Sin City:
I didn't actually think I was going to like this one. It looked a little too violent for my taste. And it was extremely violent, but ultimately I really liked it. If any of you haven't seen it yet, it's definitely worth renting. Highlights include: Elijah wood being a creepy ass fucker, Benicio Del Toro, stereotypical film noir narration punctuated with the absurdly gruesome, scantily clad women?, and prostitutes with guns (and swords).
Dark Water:
Very bad horror flick only worth it for a shot of a drenched Jennifer Connelly in a white shirt. It was a little reminiscent of The Ring, but not nearly as creepy. Apparently also based on a Japanese story. We personally found it to be hilarious, but not much else. Jennifer Connelly is pretty great though, so i recommend it if you like her.
V for Vendetta:
Unfortunately this was the highlight of my St. Patrick's Day (more on that below). The movie was excellent. I like Portman, and no one should hold Star Wars against her. Occasionally she had a cheesy line here, but that's what happens when you try to sell a worthwhile movie to the masses. Otherwise it was very well written. It contained the most beautiful explosion scene I've ever seen in a movie and the theme is quite timely. Stephen Rea and Stephen Fry (who has played such notable characters as Oscar Wilde and Wodehouse's Jeeves) are fabulous. And finally, not only does he possess the best name ever and the ability to make the thwarted Elrond face, Hugo Weaving is my official hero (also, his voice rivals Alan Rickman's). Go see this movie.
And finally, I hope that all of you enjoyed your St. Patrick's Day extra this year because I live in a land of green cowboy boots and corned beef fajitas... I'm lying, they're not green and they don't contain corned beef. The music is worse. Sort of Randy Travis sings Nancy Wiskey. It's enough to make one take a long sharp object to one's eardrums. So appreciate what you've got back east.