50 First Dates, Ocean's Eleven, Sin City, The Fifth Element, Love Actually
Can I just say that I had no idea that I hadn't posted a damn thing here yet in October?
Sorry about that, lol.
I've visited six graduate schools in the last month. I started (or restarted, really) a new job. I had two show weekends for the Shakespeare company I already work(ed) for. I got sick, got better, and dealt with leftovers of not feeling well. And I am currently in the middle of a performance week for one of my choruses. So I've been busy.
BUT...
I still have some old reviews for you. It's October 21st, 2009, and here they are:
Ocean's Eleven
4 stars
Don't talk to me about sequels. 12 was lame, I didn't even want to see 13. But this one was amazing--a great plot, so much great character work, incredible attention to the detail of the heist, and (most importantly) no feeling of having to top anything that went before. Clooney, Garcia, Roberts, Damon and Pitt are all generally watchable, but the supporting heisters--Eddie Jemison, Elliott Gould, Carl Reiner, Don Cheadle--made this movie the masterpiece it is. See also The Italian Job.
---
Love Actually
5 stars
When I got dragged to see this movie, I thought it would be just another lame Christmasy chick flick. It isn't. First of all, it's positively Dickensian in its connection of multiple plots and characters, often in very small and unassuming ways that nonetheless turn out to be important to the story. Second, the events in it transpire from men's perspectives as much as from women's, and these are not the usual effeminate whiny men that seem to show up in chick flicks. Thirdly, corollary to the second point, the characters in Love Actually act like real people. Human. Flawed, but trying their best. In tough situations, but rolling with the punches as best they can. And as such, the viewer feels for them. Fourth, the cast is incredible--aside from Colin Firth, Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman, who are always watchable, this movie was full of breakout/building roles for Bill Nighy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kris Marshall, Keira Knightley and (most significantly) Laura Linney. this movie can make even the most cynical hearts believe in love again, even if only for a few moments. And as if all that isn't enough, it's one of the funniest movies of its year. That's (almost) enough to balance out its being a chick flick, right?
---
The Fifth Element
3.5 stars
What do you get when you match John McClane and Lola (from "Run Lola Run"), throw in Sirius Black and Chris Tucker for good measure and then set the resulting story two centuries in the future? Certainly something out of the ordinary: an apocalyptic sci-fi spoof that also has highly respectable action scenes and a little bit of romance. In other words, this movie has something for everyone, even opera fans. Yes, Chris Tucker's character gets a bit obnoxious, but when does he not? He is the poor man's Chris Rock, after all. Anyway, this flick is definitely worth checking out.
---
50 First Dates
2.5 stars
Suffice it to say that this is one of a very, very small number of Adam Sandler movies that I don't either ignore or despise, and that actually has some redeeming value to it.
---
Sin City
4.5 stars
What do you give the moviegoer who has everything? How about a movie with three storylines, a black-and-white rainbow of characters, about 10 gallons of blood and more beautiful women than Maxim's latest issue? Not to mention the interconnectedness of Charles Dickens, the sexiness of Laurell K. Hamilton and the hard-boiled first-person perspectives of The Maltese Falcon--basically it's a 21st-century film noir comic book come to life. And I don't have room to talk about the cast, but suffice it to say that it rocks.
---
AND I have a brief announcement: in much less time than I thought we would, we've made it through all of my old short reviews! There are certainly plenty more old ones to post, but they are beginning to increase in length now, so there will probably fe fewer of them per post...maybe two or three instead of four or five. We'll see.
I'll try to get back on a semi-regular posting schedule of these, too. Thanks for your patience.
Until next time,
FBS
Sorry about that, lol.
I've visited six graduate schools in the last month. I started (or restarted, really) a new job. I had two show weekends for the Shakespeare company I already work(ed) for. I got sick, got better, and dealt with leftovers of not feeling well. And I am currently in the middle of a performance week for one of my choruses. So I've been busy.
BUT...
I still have some old reviews for you. It's October 21st, 2009, and here they are:
Ocean's Eleven
4 stars
Don't talk to me about sequels. 12 was lame, I didn't even want to see 13. But this one was amazing--a great plot, so much great character work, incredible attention to the detail of the heist, and (most importantly) no feeling of having to top anything that went before. Clooney, Garcia, Roberts, Damon and Pitt are all generally watchable, but the supporting heisters--Eddie Jemison, Elliott Gould, Carl Reiner, Don Cheadle--made this movie the masterpiece it is. See also The Italian Job.
---
Love Actually
5 stars
When I got dragged to see this movie, I thought it would be just another lame Christmasy chick flick. It isn't. First of all, it's positively Dickensian in its connection of multiple plots and characters, often in very small and unassuming ways that nonetheless turn out to be important to the story. Second, the events in it transpire from men's perspectives as much as from women's, and these are not the usual effeminate whiny men that seem to show up in chick flicks. Thirdly, corollary to the second point, the characters in Love Actually act like real people. Human. Flawed, but trying their best. In tough situations, but rolling with the punches as best they can. And as such, the viewer feels for them. Fourth, the cast is incredible--aside from Colin Firth, Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman, who are always watchable, this movie was full of breakout/building roles for Bill Nighy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kris Marshall, Keira Knightley and (most significantly) Laura Linney. this movie can make even the most cynical hearts believe in love again, even if only for a few moments. And as if all that isn't enough, it's one of the funniest movies of its year. That's (almost) enough to balance out its being a chick flick, right?
---
The Fifth Element
3.5 stars
What do you get when you match John McClane and Lola (from "Run Lola Run"), throw in Sirius Black and Chris Tucker for good measure and then set the resulting story two centuries in the future? Certainly something out of the ordinary: an apocalyptic sci-fi spoof that also has highly respectable action scenes and a little bit of romance. In other words, this movie has something for everyone, even opera fans. Yes, Chris Tucker's character gets a bit obnoxious, but when does he not? He is the poor man's Chris Rock, after all. Anyway, this flick is definitely worth checking out.
---
50 First Dates
2.5 stars
Suffice it to say that this is one of a very, very small number of Adam Sandler movies that I don't either ignore or despise, and that actually has some redeeming value to it.
---
Sin City
4.5 stars
What do you give the moviegoer who has everything? How about a movie with three storylines, a black-and-white rainbow of characters, about 10 gallons of blood and more beautiful women than Maxim's latest issue? Not to mention the interconnectedness of Charles Dickens, the sexiness of Laurell K. Hamilton and the hard-boiled first-person perspectives of The Maltese Falcon--basically it's a 21st-century film noir comic book come to life. And I don't have room to talk about the cast, but suffice it to say that it rocks.
---
AND I have a brief announcement: in much less time than I thought we would, we've made it through all of my old short reviews! There are certainly plenty more old ones to post, but they are beginning to increase in length now, so there will probably fe fewer of them per post...maybe two or three instead of four or five. We'll see.
I'll try to get back on a semi-regular posting schedule of these, too. Thanks for your patience.
Until next time,
FBS