Movie Mondays!

Interspersed in a career of big action blockbusters, Will Smith proves time and again he has solid range as an actor lending his presence to quieter character driven fare. Here, in the story of man haunted by guilt and driven to make right by improving the lives of a select few, giving each of them a great gift. It makes for a compelling if bittersweet film well worth seeing. Rosario Dawson holds her own cast opposite Smith as they both light up the screen. Woody Harrelson and Barry Pepper are familiar faces cast in smaller roles.

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Movie Mondays!

An interesting film bearing little resemblance to the F. Scott Fitzgerald story it is based upon. I found it very similar in tone and scope to Robert Zemeckis’ Forrest Gump. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is an odd love story that plays out across history. David Fincher moves away from his usual offering of thrillers to give us a lavishly photographed film with liberal touches of sentimentality. A daughter (Julia Ormond) reads to her dying mother and in the process makes a host of astounding discoveries about both herself and her parent. Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett make an infinitely watchable pair and the end result is a charming diversion well worth the price of admission.

I’m repurposing content by taking my NetFlix reviews and posting them here on the blog. If I could figure out a way to do it, I’d post some kind of link for people to connect and make me their friend on the service. Unfortunately, it isn’t altogether clear how one would do that - so if you know a way, pass it along. In the meantime, I’ve got steady content for at least a year.

Movie Mondays!

Hello... I'm a Mac. And I’m a zombie. Whatever you expect going in cannot prepare you for this turkey. It’s just a question of how many cliches can be thrown in over the course of 103 minutes and even then a decent cast can’t save this stinker. If you want to see a dead man (or in this case a naked Christina Ricci) walking, watch any episode of Six Feet Under which is infinitely more entertaining. About the only thing remotely making this flick interesting is the nubile Ricci’s lack of wardrobe but that appeal will only take a film so far and in this case it’s not far enough because like Ricci’s character this movie should be buried.

I’m repurposing content by taking my NetFlix reviews and posting them here on the blog. If I could figure out a way to do it, I’d post some kind of link for people to connect and make me their friend on the service. Unfortunately, it isn’t altogether clear how one would do that - so if you know a way, pass it along. In the meantime, I’ve got steady content for at least a year.

Movie Mondays!

It plays as very dated but it is still entertaining. Daria: Is it College Yet takes place after the series ended and revisits the same characters. I watched it more out of a sense of nostalgia than anything else and I can see where Daria influenced a generation but much of the humor is trite to say the least. Lacking in appeal for anyone over the age of 40, Daria: Is it College Yet will most probably find an audience among disgruntled and disaffected teens or those looking back fondly on their youth.

I’m repurposing content by taking my NetFlix reviews and posting them here on the blog. If I could figure out a way to do it, I’d post some kind of link for people to connect and make me their friend on the service. Unfortunately, it isn’t altogether clear how one would do that - so if you know a way, pass it along. In the meantime, I’ve got steady content for at least a year.

Movie Mondays!

I can best describe as follows: Think Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations but with magic instead of food. A fun combination of travelogue and a look at magic - how it is performed, the tricks and its place in society - in Egypt, India and China. I enjoyed watching Penn and Teller (two very uncomfortable travelers) making their way among the busy streets of Cairo, the back alleys of Calcutta and the lesser traveled parts of China. Through it all, there are some interesting factoids thrown in among some entertaining performances. I watched it in this order: India, Egypt and China and I was glad I did because it mirrored the weakest to strongest journeys. A word of caution though, Indian magic involves many tricks with faux mutilation and consequently there is quite a bit of blood which though fake is realistic looking so if you're squeamish, you’ve been warned and it also is not suitable for (the India portion) for kids under the age of 11.

I’m repurposing content by taking my NetFlix reviews and posting them here on the blog. If I could figure out a way to do it, I’d post some kind of link for people to connect and make me their friend on the service. Unfortunately, it isn’t altogether clear how one would do that - so if you know a way, pass it along. In the meantime, I’ve got steady content for at least a year.

Movie Mondays!

Sobering. This American adaptation of the foreign Brodre is a strong film that touches on issues like estrangement, alienation and trust. Could well be on a double feature with The Hurt Locker, this film deals with the fallout of a soldier thought killed on tour of duty. It has a solid cast with Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, Sam Shepard and Mare Winningham who are all on their game. The film actually raises larger issues in the sense we are at a point of dealing with a generation of service personnel who have served in combat and will be returning home, this film and Hurt Locker may be the beginning of a wave of American films focusing on the issues surrounding those returning veterans just as American cinema has done with each conflict the US has been involved with since WWII. Brothers is a stellar entry in the genre.

I’m repurposing content by taking my NetFlix reviews and posting them here on the blog. If I could figure out a way to do it, I’d post some kind of link for people to connect and make me their friend on the service. Unfortunately, it isn’t altogether clear how one would do that - so if you know a way, pass it along. In the meantime, I’ve got steady content for at least a year.

Movie Mondays!

It’s a decidedly different Doctor here in the series early days and while I found it charming at times, it is very much a product of its day. It most likely will not appeal to anyone other than a true Doctor Who fan but you can see the foundation being laid for the long running and successful franchise here. One does have to wonder though why some of the aspects personality wise of this Doctor are not incorporated into the performances of more recent Doctors.

I’m repurposing content by taking my NetFlix reviews and posting them here on the blog. If I could figure out a way to do it, I’d post some kind of link for people to connect and make me their friend on the service. Unfortunately, it isn’t altogether clear how one would do that - so if you know a way, pass it along. In the meantime, I’ve got steady content for at least a year.

Movie Mondays!

One of Marvel’s better entries in the process of bringing their characters to life via animation. Here is an origin story of Doctor Strange that strays from the original at times but keeps enough to be entertaining. Also, when it does diverge it does it in a way that makes sense to the film’s plot. I can find little fault with a film that stays true to the spirit of the character and the animation here was quite good. The Ancient One, Baron Mordo, Dormammu all play key roles in this film that appeals to all ages. They mark it as iffy for 11 but I think 9 and up is okay for this, it is scary for the younger set at times but with a parent present shouldn’t present too much of a problem and you’ll be entertained as well by it.

I’m repurposing content by taking my NetFlix reviews and posting them here on the blog. If I could figure out a way to do it, I’d post some kind of link for people to connect and make me their friend on the service. Unfortunately, it isn’t altogether clear how one would do that - so if you know a way, pass it along. In the meantime, I’ve got steady content for at least a year.

Movie Mondays!

Everyone’s favorite serial killer returns with a more complicated life as Dexter tries to balance career, family life and being a serial killer. Of course, something’s got to give and the tightrope Dexter walks becomes ever harder to balance upon as the season progresses towards a shocking conclusion. John Lithgow is featured as the “villain of the season” and it’s another tour de force performance by the acting veteran as he proves the toughest adversary Dexter has faced to date. You can’t help but praise what is a solid cast, great acting and terrific plotting as the season of 12 episodes darts past all too quickly. Of course there is the usual blood, gore and violence but with this franchise it never seems gratuitous - not for the squeamish Dexter still proves to be solidly entertaining and one of the best shows out there today.

I’m repurposing content by taking my NetFlix reviews and posting them here on the blog. If I could figure out a way to do it, I’d post some kind of link for people to connect and make me their friend on the service. Unfortunately, it isn’t altogether clear how one would do that - so if you know a way, pass it along. In the meantime, I’ve got steady content for at least a year.

Movie Mondays!

You’d think with the success of the live action Iron Man films Marvel would put something together better than this stew of disparate pieces. A mixture of traditional and 3D animation doesn’t help matters either as the plot takes liberally from the Iron Man mythos and modifies to poor effect. I’ve seen a few animated superhero films of late and when they work they can appeal to all audiences young and old alike, here there just isn’t anything worth praising, the animation is passable as poor Saturday morning cartoons and the story is just an out and out mess. Marvel does do good animated flicks, this just isn’t one of them, do yourself a favor and pass.

I’m repurposing content by taking my NetFlix reviews and posting them here on the blog. If I could figure out a way to do it, I’d post some kind of link for people to connect and make me their friend on the service. Unfortunately, it isn’t altogether clear how one would do that - so if you know a way, pass it along. In the meantime, I’ve got steady content for at least a year.

Movie Mondays!

ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES I HAVE SEEN IN SOME TIME! Funny! Charming! Endearing! A terrific story and great performances! A young artist develops insomnia as a result of his breakup with a long time girlfriend and spends his sleepless nights toiling away in a discount store (think the British equivalent to a 24 hr WalMart). The hours drone on endlessly but is there a way to step between the seconds? A delightful, humorous love story that is a home run as a first feature from director/writer Sean Ellis.

I’m repurposing content by taking my NetFlix reviews and posting them here on the blog. If I could figure out a way to do it, I’d post some kind of link for people to connect and make me their friend on the service. Unfortunately, it isn’t altogether clear how one would do that - so if you know a way, pass it along. In the meantime, I’ve got steady content for at least a year.