I Am Legend (2007)

I wasn't planning on seeing the movie, but when you're hanging out in the Quad Cities over the weekend, your social options are rather slim.

Anyway, there was nothing else playing in the theater we went to plus we got our tickets for free. That being said, it wasn't such a bad movie.

Will Smith can hold a movie on his own, and with little human contact, I was still captivated by his day to day life.

Boat complained that the CG effects were pretty crappy when it came to the "infected folks", but amazing when it came to making NYC look desolate.

I had some internal conflicts about the end (which I won't give away) and would love to hear someone else's feedback if they've seen it.

There were some pretty anxiety ridden scenes, mostly because there was no music.

Anyway, it certainly wasn't the greatest movie ever, but I didn't feel like it was a waste of my time either.

National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007)

Sequel to a Nick Cage movie that I surprisingly enjoyed, National Treasure 2 once again tried to make Cage the Indiana Jones of American History. This time the same team is back: Cage, comic relief guy and the epitome of hotness that is Diane Kruger; and they must find treasure. It's all they know.

This movie, I didn't find the clues leading to the treasure to be as interesting as the original movie. Nor was the bad guy as menacing as the one in the first one. Probably because Sean Bean has a foreign accent whereas Ed Harris is the launch commander of Apollo 13. And on a minor note, that may be kinda spoiler-ish, the fire lit in this movie is weaksauce compared to the fire that was lit in the first one when they found the treasure there.

I was entertained by this movie, don't get me wrong. But it just wasn't as suspenseful as the first one. Furthermore, I did check my watch once. And one thing that was messed up in the plot was the mentioning of Olmec indians. Just for your own reference, if by chance you do read this before watching it: keep in mind that the Olmec indians resided in southern Mexico. Thank you Lisa Simpson for making me want to wiki Olmecs.

Umm, I only slightly recommend this if you're looking to turn off your brain for a not so well made action thriller. But I highly recommend it if you just want to see Diane Kruger. She's got a great scene in the White House.

Juno (2007)

Short, smart movie. Edges a little into cutesy (as opposed to "cute" which I'm all for) territory at the end, but it's full of really great one-liners and clever dialogue, which is more than a lot of movies give you. Also, you'd better like Moldy Peaches, cuz you're getting a film's worth of them/her.

The musical-taste discussion between Juno and Mark (Jason Bateman) felt like me now talking to me at 16. Iggy Pop and Mott the Hoople, pshaw. I remember my rave-loving ass borrowing Gang of Four's Entertainment! from the library and being like, "These beats aren't quantized enough, and where's the tremendous low end combined with ambient synth washes that characterize all the music I listen to?" Oh, nothing like slow expansion of musical horizons.

Beowulf 2007

So despite the fact that I am homeless and looking for a job, I decided to pay the extra ransom for a digital 3D exhibition. Further I never looked at my watch although I found it to be a bit self-indulgent and shall we dare say "Hollywoody"? But if Hollywood does one thing well it's being Hollywood...-y?
Any way if you glance down the page and find my review of "Nightmare" then you will understand the different dimension that 3D brings to this production. Having been produced in 3D and with that in mind all along, this show really takes full advantage of it. There was only one moment where I found it distracting when the camera was situated hidden behind some rocks looking down on a stylized nude of Jolie.
Nudity aside I thought that the script hits most of the points one analyzes in 300 level English Lit classes— Strings of epithets which detail historical occurrences, pride & boasting, bawdity (new word). So to see that all portrayed was great fun.
I was bummed that there wasn't more Malkovich, but as a quintessential American actor, he does a great job as a Dane who killed his brothers. Ray Winstone also did well and I appreciated the daring performance of a nude Anthony Hopkins as Hrothgar.
Wait wait wait!
Nude, he's animated! Or is he? Or isn't he? I can't tell. I'm so confused. And why does an animated feature need stunt doubles? I did notice at least one sequence where the background was live ocean. The only other problem I saw was that some objects the characters held seemed to be without mass- floating only molecules above a lap or miraculously held aloft by a single arm. Even the strongest of arms can show that an object has mass. Maybe it will teach people that if they are going to shoot in digital 3D, then they should only use live animation. That's why I can't wait until Brendan Fraser's Journey to the Center of the Earth. And by can't wait, I mean can't wait to gouge my eyes out by the very dragon pillaging sword of the hand of the kinkiller Unferth.
Yours,
Defiler of Virgins Purveyor of Meade Pummeler of Maidenheads
Rba

She's the Man (2006)

Not having any knowledge of the actors or even the movie was a nice way to go into this light teen flick. Amanda Bynes plays Viola, an avid soccer player whose team lacks enough players and therefore cancels their season. When her twin brother decides to play with his band in London rather than attend the first couple weeks of school at his elite boys' boarding academy, Viola takes his place and joins the boys' soccer team.

The acting is good. David Cross plays the high school principal, a bald, petty, in-the-dark and somewhat motivating authority figure. He has a nice hearty laugh when he says he was young "back when dinosaurs ruled the earth." Other good characters are the British soccer coach, a tough looking Vinny Jones (Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) and the hip, gay older friend (brother?) with big city, ethnic friends.

The plot is predictable - Viola gets into an awkward friendship with a guy who think's she's a guy, too; her brother comes back; she gets found out and all heck breaks loose in the big game. She eventually reveals herself and the game goes on.

The theme of growing up and boy/girl drama is pretty standard, but Bynes is talented and gave a good comic turn to the role. The film lacks the social class tension of Mean Girls; Drumline and I imagine Bend it Like Beckham have more racial commentary, not to mention better action sequences -- She's the Man is pretty heavily white washed and most of the soccer action is weak. (Coincidence?) I think the story is based on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Why else would the main character be named Viola?

No watch checks, but I did leave the room for a couple minutes.