Stop your lollygagging

Men Who Stare at Goats

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:46:23 -0600

Although the trailer sold a much better film, I did enjoy it but felt it fell flat at the end.

Paranormal Activity

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:50:56 -0600

I’m thinking this one would have come off a little better if I had seen it in a festival enthused crowd who had never even heard of this film before. The build-up from those who have seen it, plus the trailer/commercials giving away the film kind of blew it.

New York, I Love You

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 21:02:34 -0600

This is in reference to the film I just saw called New York, I Love You and while I do think that NYC is a really awesome place, the film is a collage of love stories set in the Big Apple.

Really well done and some of them definitely involve situations you would not likely find any where but there. It’s been about four years since I’ve been and used to go quite often when I lived in Philadelphia. Watching this film makes me want to return soon.

Whip It

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 08:34:45 -0600

A really enjoyable film. Makes me want to see a roller derby now.

Pandorum

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:01:39 -0600

While the atmosphere and visuals are great, it feels like I’ve seen this story a few times before. Event Horizon is the primary one that comes to mind, but I really didn’t like that film too much. So you can say I like Pandorum better, but it’s still only an “okay” film.

Extract

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:13:58 -0600

Mike Judge’s prior films Office Space and Idiocracy I found funny on initial viewing and repeat viewings make them even better. While I’ve only seen Extract once now, it was a good film, but I don’t think it’s bound for the same cult following his other films have found.

(500) Days of Summer

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:09:08 -0600

It was an okay film. It starts out by telling you it’s not a love story and the narrator does not lie. One of those you’ll forget you watched after a few days.

Thirst

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:42:50 -0600

This is my least favorite Chan-wook Park film. That said, all his films are a level above most so I can’t say it’s a bad film. It just felt like it wanted more impact than it delivered. Unlike his other films though, I didn’t get the emotional attachment with the main character I felt with Park’s other films.

I can’t say part of my reaction was not influenced by the two guys sitting next to me who were receiving and sending text messages throughout the entire film and the lady next to us who broke out her store-bought build-your-own-salad she munchily ate during the first 1/2 hour of the film.

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance remains my favorite Chan-wook Park film. Oldboy and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance were both really good, but I just had more of an emotional, involved response to Mr. Vengeance.

The Hurt Locker

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:15:56 -0600

This film had me on the edge of my seat a few times. Very good. And the Oscar buzz around Jeremy Renner’s performance seems justified.

Inglorious Basterds

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 15:36:25 -0600

I think I had the same reaction that Harry over at Aint It Cool News had. It was a good movie, but not THE war movie I really wanted from Tarantino. As for WWII flicks, Where Eagle’s Dare remains my all-time fave.

Julie & Julia

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 15:32:55 -0600

I enjoyed this, but with Meryl Streep I expected to. Does make you want to cook a few things afterwards.

Thoughts on James Cameron's Avatar IMAX 3D preview

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 10:55:38 -0600

As with most people, my first experience with the film is the trailer for the film which I thought was really good. A lot of feedback mentions that it reminds people of a video game and having seen the trailer a few times I get that.

But I trust Cameron. And with this free 15-minute preview, it seemed like his way of telling us while he needs to release a trailer, he nows the standard trailer isn’t the best conditions for experiencing this film. I had to experience it for myself.

The IMAX 3D scenes were from the first half of the movie. I will be seeing Avatar in this format upon it’s release. It’s just SO much better.

And I can’t wait.

The 3D makes the characters pop and seem much more real than the trailer was able to get across. In the scenes shown in the 15-minute preview, while I did find myself marveling at the world of Pandora created for the film, I was also getting into the characters and story itself. I wanted more.

December 16th seems too far away right now.

District 9

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:56:17 -0600

Could be the best movie I’ve seen all year. One that definitely makes you think afterwards.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:32:00 -0600

It isn’t too bad a time. I frequently thought, while watching the movie, that Hasbro must have wanted them to place about 100 or more toy ideas in there. You’ve got outfits, vehicles and weapons for air, land, sea, desert and frozen environments.

When it was over I felt that may have been the first movie that actually felt like a Saturday morning cartoon.

The Ugly Truth

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:43:04 -0600

There were a few really funny scenes. I think I liked The Proposal a little more, though.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:07:17 -0600

First of all, awesome film. If you’re into the Harry Potter movies, see it. You know you want to.

Comparing it to the book, this time, moreso than with any of the other films, it seems largely made up of scenes that are in the spirit of the book rather than straight from it. The big scenes are there, but the spaces in between are what I didn’t specifically recall from reading the series. I didn’t mind that. It still works and felt somewhat fresh and new to me at times.

Things are hinted at I recalled from the story itself to fill in the blanks, which I think may leave someone who hadn’t read the books thinking there’s more story there somewhere. Well, there is.

One thing I’m not sure how they could include, but I think is important, is explaining Dumbledore’s black, cursed hand. There’s absolutely no explanation in the film which leaves it up to you to make your own of it. Without giving anything away, it’s from a curse, with no cure, involved in his search for what he’s been looking for in this film.

2009 Asian Film Festival of Dallas

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 16:31:03 -0600

2009 Asian Film Festival of Dallas:

I’ve got my VIP pass and really excited to see a lot of films at this year’s festival.

Blood: The Last Vampire

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 16:29:53 -0600

This live action movie is based on an animated film of the same name. The animated one was good, I have it on DVD and I think it was only 45 minute to an hour. While there are scenes in the live action version that I kind of recalled from the animated one, it was definitely worse and the crappy special effects didn’t do much to help. If you have an interest, skip this one and watch (or re-watch) the original.

Ice Age 3

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 16:15:51 -0600

Meh.

Public Enemies

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:26:47 -0600

The camerawork in this film was so jumpy it left you feeling almost dizzy at times. Other than that the film was okay. Afterwards though, you feel like you watched a highlight reel of the movie, not really getting into the characters all that much.