Movie Report
If it's Thanksgiving (and I hope you all had a lovely one) it must be time for a lot of good-looking movies to hit the theaters and I am amazed that so many of them were consistently good.
Wednesday Mom, Rosie and I saw August Rush. Movies about music can be so awesome, and this is one of them. But you have to go in ready to allow your heartstrings to be plucked like strings on a harp. If you can do that? You'll love it. The kid star is fantastic, he's given a lot to carry and he does it well. Whatever you think about Robin Williams' character from the previews, you're in for a surprise. And all the adults are wonderful, each coming to a point in their lives when they have to stop being stuffy responsible grown-ups and hear the wonderful music everywhere. It knows itself, doesn't try to be anything else, and always comes right up to the line of being too much without crossing it. It's like a big warm hug.
In contrast, Enchanted is like being tickled. I have no idea if Amy Adams just has that high tone of voice, but it sounds like my throat would hurt if I tried it for too long. Even though I knew what the movie was before seeing it, I just couldn't quite let go enough to really really enjoy it. Maybe cause I over-identified with Patrick Dempsey's single dad who honest to goodness does not want to be in the middle of a musical number in a public place. It did make me laugh out loud a lot, and James Marsden looked like he was having a hell of a time bopping around with his sword and tights and poofy shirt and minimal depth of character. Did all his own singing too, though it was a crying shame Idina Menzel's character didn't get to sing at all. I loved Susan Sarandon, Disney always gives the villains the biggest flair.
And out of left field with the funny, Hitman. Great action sequences, fairly-obvious though not completely explained plot, good supporting cast, and Timothy Olyphant was great. His complete frustration with his situation and dealing with the woman he's dragging around lead to some of the funniest moments in the film, making the whole audience roar. Also a fantastic "gotcha" moment. It was a nice, lean action picture. Nobody onscreen who doesn't need to be there, no superfluous plot threads, no unnecessary gore. Cool and efficient, just like 47. My friend Larry didn't quite buy the connection between him and the chick (who provides some pretty random boob scenes) until I explained that it's rare and unusual you find someone just as broken as you are in this world. Broken people have a logic all their own. And in the movies it's hilarious.
Larry and I went to see Hitman tonight - my choice. Then after getting out of the theater, we decided to be daring and hopped over to Enchanted - his choice. I do believe he was the only Y-chromosome in the whole audience. I found it amusing that people probably thought I dragged him to see it. He thought it was funny too.
Wednesday Mom, Rosie and I saw August Rush. Movies about music can be so awesome, and this is one of them. But you have to go in ready to allow your heartstrings to be plucked like strings on a harp. If you can do that? You'll love it. The kid star is fantastic, he's given a lot to carry and he does it well. Whatever you think about Robin Williams' character from the previews, you're in for a surprise. And all the adults are wonderful, each coming to a point in their lives when they have to stop being stuffy responsible grown-ups and hear the wonderful music everywhere. It knows itself, doesn't try to be anything else, and always comes right up to the line of being too much without crossing it. It's like a big warm hug.
In contrast, Enchanted is like being tickled. I have no idea if Amy Adams just has that high tone of voice, but it sounds like my throat would hurt if I tried it for too long. Even though I knew what the movie was before seeing it, I just couldn't quite let go enough to really really enjoy it. Maybe cause I over-identified with Patrick Dempsey's single dad who honest to goodness does not want to be in the middle of a musical number in a public place. It did make me laugh out loud a lot, and James Marsden looked like he was having a hell of a time bopping around with his sword and tights and poofy shirt and minimal depth of character. Did all his own singing too, though it was a crying shame Idina Menzel's character didn't get to sing at all. I loved Susan Sarandon, Disney always gives the villains the biggest flair.
And out of left field with the funny, Hitman. Great action sequences, fairly-obvious though not completely explained plot, good supporting cast, and Timothy Olyphant was great. His complete frustration with his situation and dealing with the woman he's dragging around lead to some of the funniest moments in the film, making the whole audience roar. Also a fantastic "gotcha" moment. It was a nice, lean action picture. Nobody onscreen who doesn't need to be there, no superfluous plot threads, no unnecessary gore. Cool and efficient, just like 47. My friend Larry didn't quite buy the connection between him and the chick (who provides some pretty random boob scenes) until I explained that it's rare and unusual you find someone just as broken as you are in this world. Broken people have a logic all their own. And in the movies it's hilarious.
Larry and I went to see Hitman tonight - my choice. Then after getting out of the theater, we decided to be daring and hopped over to Enchanted - his choice. I do believe he was the only Y-chromosome in the whole audience. I found it amusing that people probably thought I dragged him to see it. He thought it was funny too.