(no subject)
An Inconvenient Truth: 5/5 *****
Why can't Al Gore run for president? He did and he won already, sure, but with the Republican party in shambles, awash in their own corruption, he could easily be elected (and life would be great). Well, whether you agree with the above statement, or say I'm a crazy liberal, either way An Inconvenient Truth is both watchable and an excellent warning. Yes, fortunately Al Gore did NOT produce a film about himself as one might fear. While introspective, the film focuses purely on global warming, the hard science behind it and the current political body in Washington's unwillingness to face the facts, under pressure from their oily funders. Did you know it is scientific consensus that Florida will likely be underwater in 50 years if nothing is done? Well, if you didn't you should definitely see this film, and if you were well read enough to know this fact already, you'd probably like it too. Possibly the best film of the year, and not a single special effect necessary.
Everything is Illuminated: 5/5 *****
Very different from the above documentary, I saw this little piece that is based on a novel about a Jewish American seeking his roots in Poland. Elijah Wood delivers a wonderful quirky performance as this American, a strange "collector" of personal objects. The warmth and heart of the film and its ability to provide a glimpse into a seldom looked at section of the world, modern day Poland, make it one of the best films I've seen in recently. Watch and you will be in for one wacky treat.
Pirates of the Caribean: Dead Man's Chest: 2/5 **
Arggghhh!!! Batter down the sails and ready the deck guns, Hollywood's special effects "blockbuster" has open fired with a record setting weekend gross of 132 million dollars. Unfortunately (yes unfortunately), someone appears to have pirated away these good people's money and left them adrift at sea in this leaky hull of a sequel. The first hour is promise, (spoiler) the scene with the natives about to eat Depp and Bloom is pretty entertaining (end spoiler), but it soon peters out to a slow crawl in plot that is at the same time made so frantic by the action that your head hurts. The special effects are great, the jokes are good, and the action is there, but the plot spends way too much time on silly points such as finding a fabled key to the titular chest. Two other elements it suffers in are age and backup performances. Most who watch this film have already seen the first and Depp's brilliant performance in the original, has aged somewhat, while still being strange as ever. Maybe he should have pulled a Mike Meyers and played a second pirate of different personality? The backup performance were also rather poor. The characters seem almost overzealous in that instead of inspiring fear and awe like they did in the first movie they rather seem like they are a bunch of kids at a birthday party...way too much excitement for the dialogue. By 1:45 of the 2+ hours I was about to take a nap...but I stayed awake, so I say I deserve to write this review! And here's where I'll stir up even more controversy...I did not like the movie much, but I did approve of the cliffhanger ending! Most will hate it, it means they have to wait to find out the conclusion. I say it rather vindicates this shiny, garish, bloated two hour spectacle by showing it for what it is all along...a big advertisement for Pirates 3. Let's just hope Pirates 3 does the job right. Oh I hope...you may commence with the hating me now.
**************************
This weekend was rather depressing in some ways, but hey, life is general good methinks. I did run 8 miles on Saturday, but I need to excercise more. No excercise on Sunday because I was too busy whining/moping? I am definitely displeased with myself. And I wish I had money and or time. What has changed? And I wish certain friends would call me back. Sigh. Well this summer is rolling by fast ain't it. Sigh. I love my Tessa. I hope she gets her book fines at OCC straightened out without hitches. I'll write more about my life sometime soon.
Write back and share your summer stories, if you care to and have read this whole thing, which few likely will.
Sincerely Me.
Why can't Al Gore run for president? He did and he won already, sure, but with the Republican party in shambles, awash in their own corruption, he could easily be elected (and life would be great). Well, whether you agree with the above statement, or say I'm a crazy liberal, either way An Inconvenient Truth is both watchable and an excellent warning. Yes, fortunately Al Gore did NOT produce a film about himself as one might fear. While introspective, the film focuses purely on global warming, the hard science behind it and the current political body in Washington's unwillingness to face the facts, under pressure from their oily funders. Did you know it is scientific consensus that Florida will likely be underwater in 50 years if nothing is done? Well, if you didn't you should definitely see this film, and if you were well read enough to know this fact already, you'd probably like it too. Possibly the best film of the year, and not a single special effect necessary.
Everything is Illuminated: 5/5 *****
Very different from the above documentary, I saw this little piece that is based on a novel about a Jewish American seeking his roots in Poland. Elijah Wood delivers a wonderful quirky performance as this American, a strange "collector" of personal objects. The warmth and heart of the film and its ability to provide a glimpse into a seldom looked at section of the world, modern day Poland, make it one of the best films I've seen in recently. Watch and you will be in for one wacky treat.
Pirates of the Caribean: Dead Man's Chest: 2/5 **
Arggghhh!!! Batter down the sails and ready the deck guns, Hollywood's special effects "blockbuster" has open fired with a record setting weekend gross of 132 million dollars. Unfortunately (yes unfortunately), someone appears to have pirated away these good people's money and left them adrift at sea in this leaky hull of a sequel. The first hour is promise, (spoiler) the scene with the natives about to eat Depp and Bloom is pretty entertaining (end spoiler), but it soon peters out to a slow crawl in plot that is at the same time made so frantic by the action that your head hurts. The special effects are great, the jokes are good, and the action is there, but the plot spends way too much time on silly points such as finding a fabled key to the titular chest. Two other elements it suffers in are age and backup performances. Most who watch this film have already seen the first and Depp's brilliant performance in the original, has aged somewhat, while still being strange as ever. Maybe he should have pulled a Mike Meyers and played a second pirate of different personality? The backup performance were also rather poor. The characters seem almost overzealous in that instead of inspiring fear and awe like they did in the first movie they rather seem like they are a bunch of kids at a birthday party...way too much excitement for the dialogue. By 1:45 of the 2+ hours I was about to take a nap...but I stayed awake, so I say I deserve to write this review! And here's where I'll stir up even more controversy...I did not like the movie much, but I did approve of the cliffhanger ending! Most will hate it, it means they have to wait to find out the conclusion. I say it rather vindicates this shiny, garish, bloated two hour spectacle by showing it for what it is all along...a big advertisement for Pirates 3. Let's just hope Pirates 3 does the job right. Oh I hope...you may commence with the hating me now.
**************************
This weekend was rather depressing in some ways, but hey, life is general good methinks. I did run 8 miles on Saturday, but I need to excercise more. No excercise on Sunday because I was too busy whining/moping? I am definitely displeased with myself. And I wish I had money and or time. What has changed? And I wish certain friends would call me back. Sigh. Well this summer is rolling by fast ain't it. Sigh. I love my Tessa. I hope she gets her book fines at OCC straightened out without hitches. I'll write more about my life sometime soon.
Write back and share your summer stories, if you care to and have read this whole thing, which few likely will.
Sincerely Me.