WELL I'M 40 YEARS OLD, MARRIED, FATHER, LIVING IN MIDDLE AMERICA.
THESE ARE MY OPINIONS.
NYPD Blue
The Simpsons
Andy Richter Controls the Universe
ACTION
Firefly
The Sopranos
Soap
The Tick
Scrubs
24
The Empire Strikes Back
Baseketball
Galaxyquest
Braveheart
Babe (The pig movie)
Alien & Aliens
The Godfather I & II
The Crow
Natural Born Killers
V For Vendetta
Sin City
Serenity/Firefly
Scrubs
Andy Richter Controls the Universe
Battlestar Galactica (Sci-Fi Channel)
Based on the comic strip of the same name, the film version of Over The Hedge is a pleasant quick trip. A strong cast that includes Bruce Willis, Nick Nolte, Steve Carell, Gary Shandling and The Shatner all bring personality plus to the endever. Over the winter hibernation period, suburbia springs up and the critters find themselves isolated and in serious need of new foraging grounds. Along comes RJ the Racoon (Willis) who shows the family of animals that this can be a good thing and how to take advantage of the new pink apes that have taken over the forest. Not quite a G rated romp, as there are more than one threat that includes the phrase "I'll kill you". Good short diversionary fun.
Bret Ratner did NOT totaly screw this up. It's not a great film and not as good as the Bryan Singer directed Part 2, but it does a good job of keeping the spirit and tone of its predecossors. Lots and lots of new mutants are added to the mix. Kelsey Grammer big furry blue Beast is a nice addition, bringing both diplomacy and brawn to the X-Men and thier plight. What is missing is the emotional attachment and development that occured so organiclly in part 2 of ther series. The body count is high , and not just inconsequential characters either. All in all a decent return to the well of the X-Men ongoing saga.
Aaron Eckart is terrific as a loathsome Tobacco lobbiest. This black comedy based on Christopher Buckley novel, keeps all the dark humor of the book. A strong cast, and assured direction by newcomer Jason Reitman (son of the famous Ivan)make this a highly enjoyable film. A very strong supporting cast including David Koechner, Rob Lowe, Sam Elliot, William H. Macy, J.K. Simmons, Robert Duvall and Mario Bella all add to the fun. My only complaint has to do with Katie Holmes. It may be her famour boyfriend, but here as in Batman I only see a woman who is too young looking to play the parts shes asked to play. That may not be her fault but it detracts from the film a bit for me.
A welcome return for over-the-top horror comedy. Not just bad one lines by the bad guy, but a gory humour-fest along the lines of Peter Jackson's "Dead Alive". Slugs from outer-space with a taste for meat pay Earth a visit. Nathan Fillion (Serenity), Michael Rooker, Elizabeth Banks (40 Year Old Virgin) & Gregg Henry (Payback) all star in the film, but the true standout is the script by writer director James Gunn. He also wrote last years surprisingly good take on the "Dawn of The Dead" remake. A Movie that is truly icky and genuinely funny make for a pleasant diversion at the movies.
This may be the most enjoyable Spike Lee film I have ever seen. Denzel Washington leads a strong cast in this tight, twisty thriller. Four "painters" enter a NY bank and the next thing you know everyone is a hostage and the building is surrounded. Within the film Denzels detective ask all the questions that a smart movie goer would ask. The resolution of the film is a bit sloppy but the journey is worth the time investment. Lee strikes a good tone it what is really his most deliberate "Hollywood" style film yet. But being that it is Spike Lee, I still wonder if Jody Fosters mysterious and influncial "fixer" is named Madeline White for a reason. No reason is given, its just me wondering aloud.
Now this is a solid film. Starts strong gets a bit talky in the middle but a rousing finish. I did not mind all of the exposition one bit, but it does require your attention. I like the ideas, I like the style and I like the passion. Natalie Portman is amazing. Hugo Weaving as "V" wears a mask the whole time yet conveys a full bodied performance throughout the film. In these times this film is a welcome bit of free expression. As one review said (paraphrasing here) , "a revolt against the machine, made by the machine". Works for me.
