Re: Rate the last movie you saw.
12/02/13 9:45 am | #4755
Highlander (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – It’s been on my radar for a long time, as it’s achieved something of a cult status, and I normally enjoy that type of film. However, I was bit disappointed, to be honest. I thought the story was told in a disjointed fashion, and some of the acting was just too wooden for its own good – looking at you Christopher Lambert. It makes for a passable 80’s sci-fi action flick, but didn’t do near as much for me as it has for some. I think this is one of those movies that people remember being a lot better than it really was.
5/10
After Earth (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – I think I should probably start by saying that I’m one of those rare people who’s liked all of Shyamalan’s movies; yes, even The Happening. I believe most people have disliked his recent films because they expect them to match his first three movies: The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and Signs. With After Earth, you have probably his largest budget film, and his first foray into sci-fi. It’s not going to win any awards in my eye, but it’s well acted (Will and Jaden are both good) and keeps you entertained the entire time. They built a future that I think would have been better served exploring more; the film is a little too ambitious for its 93 minute screen time. If you’re looking for the next great thing in sci-fi, keep moving, but if you want to see a decent movie about a father and son relationship, it’s worth a shot.
6/10
Wedding Crashers (Blu-ray, 2nd viewing) – I remember enjoying this the first time I watched it, but I had a blast with it this time. After watching this, I realize now just how bad The Internship was by comparison. Vaughn and Wilson complement one another very well, and the situations they work themselves into are hilarious. This is definitely a top 10 comedy for me. I’m sure everyone has seen it by now, but if not, give it a chance.
7.5/10
Final Destination (series) – From Thursday to Sunday, I rewatched the Final Destination series. This was my second viewing of all the movies, with the exception of FD2, which I have now watched three times. I think it’s a fun horror franchise, and I eagerly await the inevitable 6th film (I’ve seen some semi-official trailers recently). As is the case with most franchises, though, some of the films are stronger than others. I feel like they nailed the tone the best with the original, but it definitely lacks the fun factor of some of the later films.
I think the 2nd has the best concept for the premonition scene, and has definitely changed the way I view riding behind loaded log trucks. However, I felt like the death scenes were way over the top in it (probably only worse in 4), and the way they tried to explain the mythos was just corny and confusing as hell. I thought the 3rd film picked the series back up, only to be brought back down by the 4th. Lastly, the 5th film throws in some new ideas (you can kill someone and take their time), while still staying true to what works with the earlier releases.
Overall, as a series, I think what it lacks in intelligence and depth it makes up for with fun. It’s not going to win any awards, but I have fun watching them.
If pressed, I’d go:
3 = 5 > 1 > 2 > 4
I’d give all of them around a 6/10, with 3 & 5 maybe getting a 6.5.
