Was told "it's not as good as the first one"--they were right, but still had a surprise or two and some nice moments. (SPOILERS), the music under the extradition exit was as close as you could go without going over the top--well, that, and knowing it wouldn't be a "good" movie if they didn't pull it off.
I still like Matt Damon's character "Linus"--family criminal. Love it. Makes me smile big. And I dig "Rusty Ryan"'s hand tattoo.
It's not a 10 out of 10 movie (maybe an 8 or 9), but I still enjoyed it and am glad to have watched it. And Linus's mom was a nice surprise. Like the first Ocean movie, there is Tom Jones humor in there--some things are even funnier the 2nd time than the first time. Tom Jones humor isn't in there a lot, but there's a little of it there.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Friday, October 18, 2013
"South Pacific" (1958)
May be a slight hint at spoiling here:
In my opinion--and even if its sounds far fetched--this musical seems to me like a more "modernized" and more musical version of Taboo with a slightly happier ending, a semi-happy ending. (There's one of your slight spoilers.)
And maybe 'cause we just finished studying it, Billis has reminiscences of Falstaff when it comes to war. And there, too, both stories have a couple of people in love with each other who can't hardly speak a lick of each other's language; and yet they are married or pretty close to it. Sure.
Of course, the music is very nice, very wonderful. Part of what is so well-known about this musical. I don't have any argument there. And the scenery is lovely. Just not quite my line of story-telling. But now I can say I've seen this musical. I like the opening number--but that might be because it's a little more light-hearted, and I like bass voices--they don't use 'em enough, in my opinion. Don't get me wrong--nothing wrong with baritones or tenors. You need a tenor for that "Some Enchanted Evening".
In my opinion--and even if its sounds far fetched--this musical seems to me like a more "modernized" and more musical version of Taboo with a slightly happier ending, a semi-happy ending. (There's one of your slight spoilers.)
And maybe 'cause we just finished studying it, Billis has reminiscences of Falstaff when it comes to war. And there, too, both stories have a couple of people in love with each other who can't hardly speak a lick of each other's language; and yet they are married or pretty close to it. Sure.
Of course, the music is very nice, very wonderful. Part of what is so well-known about this musical. I don't have any argument there. And the scenery is lovely. Just not quite my line of story-telling. But now I can say I've seen this musical. I like the opening number--but that might be because it's a little more light-hearted, and I like bass voices--they don't use 'em enough, in my opinion. Don't get me wrong--nothing wrong with baritones or tenors. You need a tenor for that "Some Enchanted Evening".
Saturday, October 12, 2013
"Ocean's Eleven" (2001)
Oh my, Oh my, Oh my! If there ever was a "Cad" movie, this is it. This movie catches that spirit. My only regret is that there are only 2 people in the whole world who know what I mean by that phrase--so, for the rest of the world out there, don't guess at what I mean by "Cad" and let me explain the long way.
So, what do I mean by "Cad"? It's a combination of things. It's that slight of hand, in-your-face, breaking the rules, this shouldn't work kind of a deal that cracks a joke and boom whatever it was that wasn't possible, happens. And you find yourself pondering where the skill comes from, where it was hiding, or if it was the humor that powered it into happening.
And then there's that fact that I like many of the characters that I've seen Matt Damon play. I have watched the first three Bourne movies more times than I can count. I like Matt Damon.
There it is. There's what I think of this movie. What more can I say? Oh, perhaps, don't take my "Cad" phrase. That's mine. Okay, so maybe I didn't explain everything about what I meant by "Cad", but I don't want to write this blog without it. To me that would make this post bland. It would also take away one of the reasons I write these--as a record to myself of what I thought. And I was laughing at the movie and thinking about this phrase. And I still dream that some day my created story will get written or produced or something in a form beyond that beginning's script that I've already mailed to myself. I'm digressing ...
I was skeptical when I read the description of the movie, but I also knew it had a couple of sequels, so I was curious. Definitely wasn't disappointed. A smooth movie that I would enjoy watching a second time.
And if I digressed too much in my review this time? Then here: I liked it. It made me laugh and smile. I'd watch it again. And I enjoy many of Matt Damon's characters. And the movie has some great lines in it.
So, what do I mean by "Cad"? It's a combination of things. It's that slight of hand, in-your-face, breaking the rules, this shouldn't work kind of a deal that cracks a joke and boom whatever it was that wasn't possible, happens. And you find yourself pondering where the skill comes from, where it was hiding, or if it was the humor that powered it into happening.
And then there's that fact that I like many of the characters that I've seen Matt Damon play. I have watched the first three Bourne movies more times than I can count. I like Matt Damon.
There it is. There's what I think of this movie. What more can I say? Oh, perhaps, don't take my "Cad" phrase. That's mine. Okay, so maybe I didn't explain everything about what I meant by "Cad", but I don't want to write this blog without it. To me that would make this post bland. It would also take away one of the reasons I write these--as a record to myself of what I thought. And I was laughing at the movie and thinking about this phrase. And I still dream that some day my created story will get written or produced or something in a form beyond that beginning's script that I've already mailed to myself. I'm digressing ...
I was skeptical when I read the description of the movie, but I also knew it had a couple of sequels, so I was curious. Definitely wasn't disappointed. A smooth movie that I would enjoy watching a second time.
And if I digressed too much in my review this time? Then here: I liked it. It made me laugh and smile. I'd watch it again. And I enjoy many of Matt Damon's characters. And the movie has some great lines in it.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
"Upside" (2010)
SPOILER ALERT: Solomon White is a high school lacrosse player. He receives an injury at a game that threatens getting a lacrosse scholarship to college. The injury is visual; he sees everything upside down. In the process of dealing with this injury he meets a girl who is blind. Through her and through a couple of teachers working with him on his writing, he works to figure himself out, to decide what he wants, and comes to hear about the Christian faith. When the blind girl, who he has been dating, takes him to a church for the first time, his vision rights itself after he joined in prayer at the church.
The movie doesn't play up the faith healing angle at all. I enjoyed exploring with "Sol"/"Solly" how he copes with his upside down vision. These include looking at other people through reflections such as a mirror or reflective surface of a cell phone. Shaking hands with another person was also a trick. Reading, a challenge. These are minor details to the story. The focus of the story is first dealing with others who are pushing for his life to go in a particular direction, and second, spiritual, but nothing past basic salvation--and a prayer to take a step farther with it.
Haven't figured out if the poem repeated throughout was written specifically for the movie, or if it is a quotation from somewhere else. Either is possible.
The church scene is filmed in a Lutheran Church in Georgia.
I gave this film 5 out of 5 stars based on personal interests in particular scenes, but it is a 4 star quality film otherwise. It's a nice relaxing spiritual quest/love story that suits well a low-key Sunday afternoon/evening.
The movie doesn't play up the faith healing angle at all. I enjoyed exploring with "Sol"/"Solly" how he copes with his upside down vision. These include looking at other people through reflections such as a mirror or reflective surface of a cell phone. Shaking hands with another person was also a trick. Reading, a challenge. These are minor details to the story. The focus of the story is first dealing with others who are pushing for his life to go in a particular direction, and second, spiritual, but nothing past basic salvation--and a prayer to take a step farther with it.
Haven't figured out if the poem repeated throughout was written specifically for the movie, or if it is a quotation from somewhere else. Either is possible.
The church scene is filmed in a Lutheran Church in Georgia.
I gave this film 5 out of 5 stars based on personal interests in particular scenes, but it is a 4 star quality film otherwise. It's a nice relaxing spiritual quest/love story that suits well a low-key Sunday afternoon/evening.
"Cadet Kelly" (2002)
When I started watching this movie, I was hoping that it would be at least tolerably enjoyable. I like the teen genre, but so much of it seems to miss the mark for me. Maybe I'm over-estimating the abilities of the target audience. Maybe they tend to under-estimate their target audience. Maybe it's a little of both. Much to my delight, not only did I thoroughly enjoy the movie (a 4 out of 5 rating), but this got one of my rare 5's. It did pull early story elements into later parts of the story, but sometimes it wasn't quite in the way expected--both in regards to plot and in regards to how the story was told. I found myself expecting the story to fall into a particular pattern, to let itself be ruled by typical story patterns. Yet, it found to abide by those patterns in a style that didn't make it completely predictable. So, it both didn't let down my expectations and it called my bluff when I found the story didn't go down like I expected. Utterly and truly, it did both. I think part of the misleading might have been the cover that they chose to put on the movie play list chart. I think that is part of what mislead me. This was a good movie, and an enjoyable one.
I think movie makers know how to make movies for critics, for academics, for adults of all preferences, and even for children--movies in all cases that could be real quality classics. I don't know that a quality classic as been created for teens--for teens, with teens--and also be set in a "real world" setting. The only movie, or more accurately movies, that I can think that would qualify for this, would be the Harry Potter series, and that is set in a fantasy world. So, is that the only way a believable, classic-quality teen movie can be done? Can you seriously think of any other? A teen-centered story for a teen audience that has the ability to be labeled "that is quality, that is not treating the teen audience like dunces". A movie that as a teen you go "wow, great movie" and you can re-watch as an adult and not only have the same reaction, but realize that it has depth, and can make you think or ponder over something, even if it's something unnamed. The feeling that there ought to be something more to say about it than what you thought before, but might take some time to put it down, because the thoughts are still forming.
And, yeah, only one slight after affect. It will be interesting to see how long the short-clipped teen "scream" back and forth exchange stays in my ears. That sound, um, sticks. :/ :)
I think movie makers know how to make movies for critics, for academics, for adults of all preferences, and even for children--movies in all cases that could be real quality classics. I don't know that a quality classic as been created for teens--for teens, with teens--and also be set in a "real world" setting. The only movie, or more accurately movies, that I can think that would qualify for this, would be the Harry Potter series, and that is set in a fantasy world. So, is that the only way a believable, classic-quality teen movie can be done? Can you seriously think of any other? A teen-centered story for a teen audience that has the ability to be labeled "that is quality, that is not treating the teen audience like dunces". A movie that as a teen you go "wow, great movie" and you can re-watch as an adult and not only have the same reaction, but realize that it has depth, and can make you think or ponder over something, even if it's something unnamed. The feeling that there ought to be something more to say about it than what you thought before, but might take some time to put it down, because the thoughts are still forming.
And, yeah, only one slight after affect. It will be interesting to see how long the short-clipped teen "scream" back and forth exchange stays in my ears. That sound, um, sticks. :/ :)
Friday, September 27, 2013
"The Hollow Crown: Richard II" (2012)--thoughts a week later
I've been thinking about that coffin across that marble floor off and on all week. You know, it's not surprising to have a song from a movie stuck in your head; that's usually a tribute, something strived for. And I'm sure there's all sorts of top lists--top lists for movie soundtracks, for movie songs, etc. And I know they win awards for sound editing and such. I'm also sure there's lists of favorite scenes, favorite moments, favorite lines...
What about favorite sounds? Does that list exist somewhere? I mean, I know people have favorite lines. I remember playing card games in college where the winner (or was it the loser?) had to quote a line from Monty Python before we played the next game/round.
So where are the sounds? I remember loving the TV specials of best bloopers from filming TV episodes or best/favorite commercials. Where are the sounds?
I keep hearing that sound of the coffin scraping across that marble floor. It's like the sound equivalent of encapsulating the whole entire play. The King and the rights of legitimate kingship is the marble floor, and King Henry IV is not only the coffin scraping his desires across any rightful rights of kingship, but he's the one that put the coffin there. It was his words, his actions, his doing. And he scraped and grated and noisily trashed everything he was going for. Brought death into what was prime.
There might be many a line or soliloquy or monologue that would summarize the entirety of Richard II and all its themes, but my vote is for that one unforgettable sound.
What about favorite sounds? Does that list exist somewhere? I mean, I know people have favorite lines. I remember playing card games in college where the winner (or was it the loser?) had to quote a line from Monty Python before we played the next game/round.
So where are the sounds? I remember loving the TV specials of best bloopers from filming TV episodes or best/favorite commercials. Where are the sounds?
I keep hearing that sound of the coffin scraping across that marble floor. It's like the sound equivalent of encapsulating the whole entire play. The King and the rights of legitimate kingship is the marble floor, and King Henry IV is not only the coffin scraping his desires across any rightful rights of kingship, but he's the one that put the coffin there. It was his words, his actions, his doing. And he scraped and grated and noisily trashed everything he was going for. Brought death into what was prime.
There might be many a line or soliloquy or monologue that would summarize the entirety of Richard II and all its themes, but my vote is for that one unforgettable sound.
"The Hollow Crown: Henry IV Part I" (2012)
I like this movie. And I like how they did this version of this play. It sets up the contrast well for rabble-rousing Prince Hal to I-can-do-this-Dad Prince Hal, as well as the friendship he has with Falstaff. The confrontation between King Henry and Prince Hal at court is strong.
I'm sold.
I'm afraid the only thing that bugged me was Hotspur's nose. That's not anybody's fault. I just had a hard time not being distracted by it. Bad me. To the actor's credit (Joe Armstrong), the fiery temper/hot-blood of Hotspur was done well. The Welsh singer was pretty, but not too long of a song. And I think Prince Hal (Tom Hiddleston) did a great job with Prince Hal. Wonderful job.
It's a win.
I'm sold.
I'm afraid the only thing that bugged me was Hotspur's nose. That's not anybody's fault. I just had a hard time not being distracted by it. Bad me. To the actor's credit (Joe Armstrong), the fiery temper/hot-blood of Hotspur was done well. The Welsh singer was pretty, but not too long of a song. And I think Prince Hal (Tom Hiddleston) did a great job with Prince Hal. Wonderful job.
It's a win.
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